Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-1-the-value-of-using-concepts-in-curriculum-making

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# The Value of Using Concepts in Curriculum Making

CPD: Organising a KS3 Geography Curriculum (by Kate Stockings), topic 1.2.1

## The Value of Using Concepts in Curriculum Making

Geography is a conceptual discipline and one that offers a unique way of seeing the world.

### Defining a concept

![Defining a concept](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-07/dd9e8360-70e4-4802-a68b-69c4af0eae0b/book-4257405_1920.jpg)

- Different authors use different language when discussing concepts. 
- A ‘concept’ is a fairly general term and one that is often not explicitly defined in the literature.

### Standish & Cuthbert (2017)

![Standish & Cuthbert (2017)](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/a55d7d79-949d-4ca2-8559-4286416ca449/connection-brain-neuron-link-think-.jpg)

- In this course, the definition of a concept is taken from Standish & Cuthbert (2017): 
 - ‘When we learn a new concept it often changes the way we see the known world or transforms our everyday concepts because it is through concepts that we think and interpret.’ (p.5)

### Lambert 2004

![Lambert 2004](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/27b953cf-9db4-4813-bf60-7fb7d47b02b2/words-letters-.jpg)

- Lambert (2004) made the distinction between geography’s vocabulary and its grammar.
 - The former is facts, features and place names.
 - The latter is the concepts and theories that help us make sense of those places.

### Jackson (2004)

![Jackson (2004)](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-08/320f7f0a-c681-4605-b151-2bd7bd887a84/connect-20333_1920.jpg)

- In his seminal article titled ‘Thinking Geographically’, Jackson (2004) argues that ‘thinking geographically provides a language, a set of concepts and ideas that can help us see the connections between places and scales that others frequently miss’ (p.203).

### Standish, 2014

![Standish, 2014](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/d8eceee2-8183-4f4d-953b-335f02536a06/earth-11015_1920.jpg)

- Geography is not differentiated by its content as many other disciplines study climate, vegetation, and people. Yet, geographers have a unique approach to the study of the Earth (Standish, 2014).

## Test yourself on The Value of Using Concepts in Curriculum Making

- What does the use of key concepts guard against?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/4d12da32-8f03-4512-bc14-ba4befec0562/section/7188405c-65e0-4e4f-baa5-dd31483fec21/session)

- Previous topic: [1.1.2 Regional Vs Systematic Geography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-1-2-regional-vs-systematic-geography.md)
- Next topic: [1.2.2 What are Geography's Key Concepts?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-2-what-are-geographys-key-concepts.md)

## CPD: Organising a KS3 Geography Curriculum (by Kate Stockings) contents

### 1 Organising a KS3 Geography Curriculum
- 1.1 Introduction
  - [1.1.1 Organising a Key Stage 3 Geography Curriculum](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-1-1-organising-a-key-stage-3-geography-curriculum.md)
  - [1.1.2 Regional Vs Systematic Geography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-1-2-regional-vs-systematic-geography.md)
- 1.2 Concepts in Curriculum Making
  - [1.2.1 The Value of Using Concepts in Curriculum Making](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-1-the-value-of-using-concepts-in-curriculum-making.md)
  - [1.2.2 What are Geography's Key Concepts?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-2-what-are-geographys-key-concepts.md)
  - [1.2.3 More Key Concepts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-3-more-key-concepts.md)
  - [1.2.4 Further Considerations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-organising-a-ks3-geography-curriculum/1-2-4-further-considerations.md)