ABSTRACT
Research has a role to play in supporting the professional development of student teachers during their initial teacher education courses. Margaret Roberts' research into geographical education can help people to see things differently and freshly, challenging assumptions and asking critical questions about purposes. The role of geographical knowledge in primary and secondary education systems around the world does not always reflect that geography is concerned with human survival. With most initial teacher education courses now incorporating elements of Master's level accreditation, student teachers need to engage with research and also undertake some small-scale action research as part of coursework assignments. Evaluation needs to be embedded and made part and parcel of work, and not something to be tacked on at the end. The GeoCapabilities project uses capabilities to express the purposes and values of geography as a school subject. Key advocates of the geo-capabilities approach take it as axiomatic that young people's geo-capability will be enhanced through formal education.
