Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The Ninth UNESCO Plenary Session in Paris during 1956 clearly set out an
experimental plan for the ASP. Based on this decision, education for international
understanding and international cooperation was carried out in the worldwide
expanding network of the Associated Schools participating in UNESCO's educa-
tional experiment. This occurred under the study of human rights, other countries
(e.g., understanding other countries, ethnic groups, and regions), and the UN
(e.g., study of world problems and the role of the United Nations in solving them).
Additional modules were added to Understanding between Countries with Different
Levels of Economic Development in 1962, and to Development and Environment in
1973. In 1984, these were distilled into four subjects: World Problems and the Role
of the United Nations in Solving Them, Human Rights, Other Countries and Other
Cultures, and Humans and the Environment (Nagai 1985 ). Development and
Environment, which formed a common denominator with ESD, were already study
subjects in the 1970s.
The educational experiment of the Associated Schools in Japan, under the leader-
ship of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO and Ministry of Education
(MOE) at the time, was only put into effect in six designated schools. This effort had
a major role as forerunner to the implementation of education for international under-
standing. The Hiroshima University Attached Senior High School was one of the
designated schools. In particular, the implementation of education in subjects like
“Study of Other Countries” overlapped with the content of geography education.
At senior high schools that were Associated Schools, this was developed as “Geography
Education for International Understanding” in Geography B classes. Also, in the
UNESCO East-west Cultural Exchange Project developed in the 10-year plan begin-
ning in 1957, the aim was to foster mutual cultural understanding between East and
West, and interest in the Southeast Asian region was heightened.
However, in the 1970s, with international movements seeking development and
independence for developing countries and UNESCO beset by issues facing all of
humanity (e.g., population and food supply, resources, energy, and the global envi-
ronment), there was a major change in direction from emphasis on international
understanding to international cooperation focused on problem solving.
It is notable that with Japan's adoption of the “Recommendation Concerning
Education for International Understanding, Cooperation and International Peace
and Education Relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” (abbreviated
as the “International Education Recommendation”), there was a specifi cation of
major problems common at the global scale and an appeal to foster student interest
in solving those problems.
10.4.3
Relationship Between Associated Schools Practice
and Coursework
Between 1954 and 1969, the Hiroshima University Attached Senior High took part
in 17th educational experiments (thereafter, this was carried out as educational
implementation from 1970 through 1982) (Nagai 1985 ).
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