Application of the 5E model in the teaching of Azerbaijani geography and its comparative analysis based on international experience

Анотація

In recent years, the strengthening of constructivist approaches in education, particularly methods aimed at enhancing pupils’ active participation and research skills, has increased the focus on the 5E model. Structured around the sequence “Engage–Explore–Explain–Elaborate–Evaluate” the core principle of this model is not to deliver knowledge in a ready form but to enable the pupil to discover and apply it step by step. International studies show that the 5E approach enhances key competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving, knowledge transfer and motivation. In Azerbaijani education, this model was first introduced in the 2023–2024 academic year in grade 6 geography textbooks. What draws attention here is that in grade 6, Azerbaijani geography was structured according to the entire unit based on the 5E model, whereas in grade 7, it is applied to separate topics within the unit. This feature demonstrates the practical adaptation of the 5E model to local needs within the context of the Azerbaijani curriculum. The article presents the theoretical framework of the 5E model and provides a comparative analysis based on the experiences of the United States, Finland, Singapore and Türkiye. At the same time, observations conducted on the new Azerbaijani geography textbooks show that the implementation of the model creates conditions for the practical use of knowledge through deepening tasks aimed at Azerbaijani geography, starting from learning global concepts. Since the teaching of geography has an integrative nature connected with both natural and social sciences, research-oriented and practice-based approaches are particularly important in its instruction. At present, many developed countries apply modern pedagogical technologies in geography lessons that stimulate pupils’ active learning. For example, since 2016, Finland’s general education curriculum has transitioned to phenomenon-based learning (PhenoBL), where pupils study real-world topics from interdisciplinary perspectives. In Singapore, the geography curriculum is based on the methodology called the “Geographical Inquiry Process” which emphasizes the inquiry-based approach as a “signature pedagogy” at all grade levels. Reforms carried out in these countries show that modern geography teaching focuses less on memorizing facts and more on developing pupils’ skills in conducting research, working with maps and data, making decisions and solving problems. In the Azerbaijani education system, as a result of recent curriculum reforms, the objectives and tasks of the geography subject have been redefined, emphasizing aspects such as “viewing the world from a local perspective, forming a global worldview, and fostering the concept of sustainable development”. To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to apply interactive and research-oriented methods in the teaching process. The 5E model provides a learning framework that meets these requirements and takes into account both the local context (e.g., Azerbaijani geography) and the global one. However, the implementation of the 5E model at the school level in Azerbaijan is still a new development and its first large-scale example can be observed in the grade 6 and grade 7 geography textbook sets introduced in the 2023–2024 academic year. Therefore, studying the 5E model in terms of content and methodology, comparing it with international experience and developing strategies for its application in the national context represent a relevant scientific and methodological issue. This research also presents a methodological approach developed by the author and demonstrates that the application of the 5E model at the unit level allows both efficient time management and deeper understanding of the topics. Based on the results, it is emphasized that teacher training, resource provision and consistency in textbook-methodological materials are of particular importance for the broad and systematic implementation of the model.