Debating the Place of Knowledge Within Geography Education: Reinstatement, Reclamation or Recovery?

Abstract

This chapter explores the recent debates about knowledge among sociologists in education, subsequently narrowing its focus to consider the response to such debates from within the geography education community. It starts by reflecting on the development of ideas about both the place and function of knowledge in schools towards the end of the last century, drawing in turn on the social constructivist and social realist positions adopted by Michael Young, and others. After considering Young and Muller’s concepts of Future 1, 2 and 3 curricula the chapter concludes by pursuing the connection between the theoretical conceptions of powerful knowledge, different models of curricular futures and geography education. It is apparent that for many geography educationists the importance of the connection between powerful knowledge and ‘everyday’ knowledge in the school curriculum is not yet successfully articulated in the geography curriculum.