Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons
Tasks are a powerful instrument for geography teachers, as they let students engage with the subject. To advance the cumulative learning of students, teachers have to make sure that students learn how to deal with complex and abstract knowledge structures. In the Netherlands, teachers face a dilemma...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/12/1/2 |
| _version_ | 1827665891864608768 |
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| author | Uwe Krause Tine Béneker Jan van Tartwijk |
| author_facet | Uwe Krause Tine Béneker Jan van Tartwijk |
| author_sort | Uwe Krause |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tasks are a powerful instrument for geography teachers, as they let students engage with the subject. To advance the cumulative learning of students, teachers have to make sure that students learn how to deal with complex and abstract knowledge structures. In the Netherlands, teachers face a dilemma when it comes to task setting: the intended curriculum aims for a considerable part at (parts of) higher order thinking, whereas the high-stakes exams have a clear focus on the use of thinking strategies. This paper explores the task setting and debriefing of Dutch geography teachers by analyzing twenty-three videotaped lessons in upper secondary education by using the Geography Task Categorization Framework. The results show that Dutch teachers mostly rely on textbooks when setting tasks. The focus lies on reproduction and the use of thinking strategies. Tasks aiming at (parts of) higher order thinking are barely used. Furthermore, teachers use tasks from previous high-stakes exams already used in an early stage of upper secondary education. In the debriefing of tasks, teachers move from simple and concrete to complex and abstract knowledge and vice versa. However, most of these movements aim at simplifying knowledge structures. In the observed lessons, curriculum aims at the level of (parts of) higher order thinking are not achieved. The evaluative rules as set by the high-stakes exams and the type of tasks offered by textbooks seem to be dominant. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:35:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-565d08739fa5455fb3f868391ebf3dbe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:35:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-565d08739fa5455fb3f868391ebf3dbe2023-11-23T13:33:18ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252021-12-01121112710.3390/ejihpe12010002Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography LessonsUwe Krause0Tine Béneker1Jan van Tartwijk2Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The NetherlandsFaculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The NetherlandsFaculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The NetherlandsTasks are a powerful instrument for geography teachers, as they let students engage with the subject. To advance the cumulative learning of students, teachers have to make sure that students learn how to deal with complex and abstract knowledge structures. In the Netherlands, teachers face a dilemma when it comes to task setting: the intended curriculum aims for a considerable part at (parts of) higher order thinking, whereas the high-stakes exams have a clear focus on the use of thinking strategies. This paper explores the task setting and debriefing of Dutch geography teachers by analyzing twenty-three videotaped lessons in upper secondary education by using the Geography Task Categorization Framework. The results show that Dutch teachers mostly rely on textbooks when setting tasks. The focus lies on reproduction and the use of thinking strategies. Tasks aiming at (parts of) higher order thinking are barely used. Furthermore, teachers use tasks from previous high-stakes exams already used in an early stage of upper secondary education. In the debriefing of tasks, teachers move from simple and concrete to complex and abstract knowledge and vice versa. However, most of these movements aim at simplifying knowledge structures. In the observed lessons, curriculum aims at the level of (parts of) higher order thinking are not achieved. The evaluative rules as set by the high-stakes exams and the type of tasks offered by textbooks seem to be dominant.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/12/1/2tasksgeographyhigher order thinkingrecontextualizationgeography didacticspowerful knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Uwe Krause Tine Béneker Jan van Tartwijk Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education tasks geography higher order thinking recontextualization geography didactics powerful knowledge |
| title | Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons |
| title_full | Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons |
| title_fullStr | Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons |
| title_short | Higher Order Thinking by Setting and Debriefing Tasks in Dutch Geography Lessons |
| title_sort | higher order thinking by setting and debriefing tasks in dutch geography lessons |
| topic | tasks geography higher order thinking recontextualization geography didactics powerful knowledge |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/12/1/2 |
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