Mapping Geographical Education in Canada: Geography in the Elementary and Secondary Curriculum across Canada

Abstract

This project builds upon previous surveys of geographical education across Canada completed by Baine (1991) and Mansfield (2005). The purpose of this study was to survey the geography curriculum in each of the ten provinces and three territories in Canada. Geography and social studies curriculum guidelines for grades 1 through 12 were collected in each regional jurisdiction across Canada. A summary of key information was recorded for each grade in each jurisdiction; included were course title, prominent themes, and units of instruction. The overall goal during data analysis was to draw a series of comparisons between the general trends discovered by Baine (1991) and Mansfield (2005) and the patterns that emerged from geography curriculum documents as of 2009. The data suggested that, with the exception of Ontario, all provinces and territories have de-emphasized or deleted specific courses or units in geographical education. In a social studies curriculum dominated by history and civics, there is often little stated emphasis on geographical content, concepts, or skills in grades 1 through 12.