Enseñar geografía en la educación secundaria: nuevos objetivos, nuevas competencias. Un estudio de caso

Lately, there is an increasing social need to educate competent citizens able to act and react in front of their society problems and questions. This fact should raise to the teachers, questions not only about their own profession but also on the role of the subjects they teach. In the case of Geography, the main question shoud be how pupils get the needed competences, but also: is there a specific place for Geography in secondary education?; are the teachers equipped to make their subject the useful knowledge which our society is demanding? This paper presents a study on Geography teachers professional profiles (scientific and professional training, main geographical focus, use of teaching resources) and also on their points of view about the educational role of Geography in the shool curriculum. The research was based on the opinions of 54 secondary teachers of Geography, from private and public schools in the metropolitan region of Barcelona. The results were analysed and discussed with a group of five teachers not included in the study.