Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Dynamic regional studies are taught in the unit “Japanese Regions.” Japan is
divided into seven regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinnki, Chugoku
and Shikoku, and Kyushu and Okinawa. These correspond to seven themes in the
curriculum: physical environment, historical background, industry, environmental
issues/preservation, population and urban/rural settlements, lifestyles/cultures, and
connections with other regions. Students should learn one region by focusing on
one main theme and related sub-themes.
In summary, the curriculum for geography has shifted from a descriptive, regional
approach to a positivist, systematic one and now an issue-based one. Through a
regional perspective, geography enables students to understand and construct
knowledge about the world. Therefore, criteria for selecting regions in the curriculum
may include “major issues in the contemporary world,” “geographical perception of
space, place and environment,” “geographical ways of looking at spatial organiza-
tion,” “illustrative examples,” “student experiences, interests and preconceptions,”
“signifi cance for the individual, people, culture and the environment,” and “balance”
(IGU-CGE
2007
).
17.4
Knowledge, Skills and Values in Geography Education
In this part, three classes of objectives; knowledge, skills and values are discussed
in the context of teaching and learning.
17.4.1
Factual and Conceptual Knowledge
In a survey conducted by Gerber (
2003
), knowledge was regarded as including fact
and concept. Concept is essential for understanding fact, so many people have
emphasized it in geography education. There are two geography learning trends in
each region and country. One is the conceptualization of geography in Singapore
and Hong Kong, whereas the acquisition of solid and broad knowledge is empha-
sized in South Korea and Japan.
As a separate subject in junior high school in Singapore and Hong Kong, geogra-
phy has a more conceptual curriculum than that in integrated subjects. In Singapore,
understanding of humans and their relationship with the environment is one of the
aims of the junior high school geography curriculum (MOE
2005
). Hence, students
learn geographic concepts about human-environment relationships. For example,
in Theme II, “Understanding the Environment,” students differentiate between
physical and human environments, and contrast various human-environment rela-
tionships. According to Chang (
2011
), such conceptual understanding of those rela-
tionships has been key in the past 30 years in Singapore education.
Like Singapore, an aim in Hong Kong's junior high school geography curriculum
is “to enable students to develop knowledge and understanding of space, place and
