Student perceptions of school certificate geography. The old and the new

Abstract

The introduction of the new School Certificate Geography Syllabus in 1986 and the full Form 5 - Form 7 syllabus in 1987 requires the 16 development of appropriate techniques of both assessment and evaluation. The identification of student needs and perceptions through questionnaire, sampling and interviewing techniques is an important element in the evaluation process. As the centre of gravity in the education system moves from the teacher towards the student, consumer perceptions become more significant. The surveying of pupil attitudes to geography and geography teaching was undertaken by Audrey Jones in Waikato schools in the early 1970s and by Evelyn Stokes and Geoff Burridge In 1974. The latter analysed the structure of South Auckland geography classes and surveyed the career aspirations of first year geography students at Waikato University. Knight (1977) examined student perceptions of the geography teachers in the South Island. Holyoake (1983) emphasised the importance of questionnaires and rating scales in programme evaluation. Three years later Richardson (1986) summarised students' attitudes towards geography teaching in his analysis of the Social Studies Survey, and Kirman (1986) began the establishment of a database of student perceptions at Selwyn College.