Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 18
Geography Education as Part of Social Studies
Education in Japan
Tomoko Murayama
Abstract
This chapter discusses the future prospects of geography education in
Japan by fi rst examining its current status and associated issues within Social
Studies education. The structure of Social Studies is divided into multiple subjects
areas (i.e. Geography and History, and Civics) with increasing grade levels. Whereas
geographic content forms a large part of elementary school Social Studies, it is
taught alongside History and Civics in junior school Social Studies. With the 1989
revision of the National Curriculum Standards, Social Studies in senior high school
was reorganized into two subjects “Geography and History and Civics”, as well as
“World History” that became compulsory subjects. Since this amalgamation, the
status of Geography in senior high school has rapidly declined. Geography taught
within Social Studies instruction plays a crucial role in developing students' social
awareness, a premise of value judgments and decision making for thinking about how
to make society better. Geography studies specifi c phenomena and the relationship
between human and nature, making it a valuable contribution to ESD.
Keywords
ESD • Geography education • History education • Regional geography
• Social Studies
18.1
Introduction
“Geography”, in the strict sense, has not existed as a single subject in Japan since
the emergence of Social Studies after World War II. The structure of Social Studies
changes from the integrated to the subdivided with increasing grade levels. Such
that it is broken into different study areas and taught by subject area in junior high
school and senior high school, respectively.
Because geography is not taught as an independent subject, any discussion of the
ideal state of geography education must consider other disciplines within which it is
taught. This chapter aims to shed light on the present situation and issues of Social
