Publication: Is Singapore’s school geography becoming too responsive to the changing needs of society?
Date
2014
Authors
Chang, Chew Hung
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Abstract
In understanding the divergences and commonalities in the representations of geography across different national settings, the case of Singapore is examined through the notion of politicisation of school curricula to meet the needs of "significant power groups". In particular, the development of school geography in
Singapore and its response to changes in the education system are discussed, followed by an analysis of its development in relation to changes in academic geography. This is followed by a discussion on the place of school geography in responding to social and cultural concerns. Through content analyses of syllabus documents and secondary data, this article examines the role of each of the significant power groups in academic geography and the state and how they have shaped Singapore’s school geography curriculum. While Singapore’s school geography has been very responsive to changing educational processes, social demands and, to some extent, the development in academic geography, this has come at a price where the subject is now under threat from falling student intakes and what could be described as an abridged geography. The author argues that while responsiveness is a key factor to ensure the continued existence of the subject, stakeholders should not lose sight of a holistic understanding of geography as a discipline of study.
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Citation
Chang, C.-H. (2014). Is Singapore’s school geography becoming too responsive to the changing needs of society? International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 23(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2013.858405