Watch now: To find out more about this curriculum area, watch ‘Understanding the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0, Geography’ on the Resources page.

Rationale and Aims

Rationale

Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the world as the home of humans and a diversity of places, environments and peoples. It teaches distinctive ways of perceiving and thinking about the world and the relationships between humans and the environment.

In the Victorian Curriculum F–10, learning in Geography is underpinned by 7 concepts:

• place
• space
• environment
• interconnection
• sustainability
• scale
• change.

These 7 concepts are applied to learning in Geography to build a holistic understanding of a range of contemporary issues, from environmental issues (such as water resources, land degradation and sustainability) to human issues (such as urbanisation, food security and wellbeing) and the interconnections between them.

Geography provides students with opportunities to develop a wide range of general skills, capabilities and dispositions that can be applied in everyday life and at work. Geography develops a respect for the environment, an appreciation and respect for social and cultural diversity, a capacity for teamwork, problem-solving abilities, and critical and creative thinking. Through their study of Geography, students are helped to become informed and responsible members of their local and global communities and to act ethically to shape a socially just and sustainable future.

Geography also teaches science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills through its inquiry process, scientific studies of the environment, development of spatial thinking and use of geospatial technologies. Fieldwork is an essential component of learning in Geography and develops students’ skills in observation, questioning, interpretation and collaboration.

Aims

Geography aims to ensure that students develop:

• a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect for places, environments, people and cultures throughout the world
• a deep geographical knowledge of their own locality, Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and the world
• an appreciation of geographical phenomena and issues, and their impact(s) on people’s lives, places and environments
• the ability to think geographically, using geographical concepts
• the capacity to be competent, critical and creative users of geographical methods and skills
• the capacity to be informed, responsible and active citizens who can contribute to the development of a world that is environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just.