Exploring the pedagogical content knowledge of Danish geography teachers: teaching weather formation and climate change

Weather formation and climate change is an important topic in the Danish geography curriculum. The curriculum requires both the student to acquire knowledge and skills, but also the personal development for active citizenship. This “dual perspective” might be a complex task to embrace for a teacher, but it is not well described in research. Case studies of four Danish geography teachers were conducted, including interviews and classroom observations. The findings revealed the teachers had strikingly different ways of teaching the topic, which aligned with their orientations and beliefs. The teachers also emphasised the dual perspective to various degrees, including a knowledge dimension and students’ commitment and visions for the future. However, students´ action experiences were not perceived to be an issue by any of the teachers.