Powerful Knowledge as a New International Trend in Contemporary School Geography

This chapter presents an overview of scholarship and debates regarding the meaning and value of “powerful knowledge” to the field of geography education. The discourse on powerful knowledge has made various inroads into the world of school geography, particularly through its support among certain geography educators keen to “bring knowledge back in.” We identify key features of various cases for and against using “powerful knowledge” as either a lens or framework for guiding and shaping what geography education should or could mean for teachers and students. The chapter focuses on the following: What is meant by powerful knowledge? What is meant by powerful geographical knowledge? What might a powerful geography education be? And how might we evaluate the claim that powerful knowledge benefits students’ geographical learning? Concluding reflections highlight the need to engage with research and scholarship about subject specific didactics, including students’ learning in relation to both powerful knowledge and powerful pedagogies, and the support for both in schools.