Global education for global understanding : the case of Finland

This chapter investigates the role of global understanding in Finnish geography education. A short overview of thematic changes in curricula, both locally and globally, precedes an analytical report of current framework curricula for primary and secondary schools. A description of the 10-year-long history of global education in Finnish educational reports is followed by a focus on the practice of teaching. Two geography teachers (two of the authors of this chapter) tell their views on how geography can enhance global understanding, and ultimately create links between local and global dimensions. Geography was considered an excellent subject in enhancing global understanding: it connects local issues to global phenomena; natural issues to human-made elements.Peer reviewe