Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
perspective, the essence of the problem emerges from multiple and diverse factors
that are different at various scales. At the hometown scale, a breakdown of agricul-
ture and fi shing villages and the accumulation of organic waste are examples while
human-made reservoir dams are at the national level. This is compounded by issues
at the international level where developing countries lack steady food supplies and
a spike is in carbon dioxide due to increased food mileage from transportation.
These issues are interrelated across hometown, nation, and worldwide scales, mak-
ing the essence of the problem even more complicated. Geography can provide
multi-faceted and diverse ways of thinking about these complex issues.
Third, it is important to examine issues from the standpoint of “interaction
between nature and human” at all scales. Considering the recent circumstances of
the world, the questions such as how humans should face nature and what are
sustainable developments for society are increasingly important. Nonetheless, the
standpoint of “interaction between nature and human” is still decidedly absent in
not only Civics but also in Japanese History, and World History courses. This
perspective is not limited to development and environmental preservation. In the
world, there are ethnic groups whose social styles, values, and life cultures are
diverse, a refl ection ofthe natural environment that is their home. Even in the
twenty-fi rst century, there is discord among ethnic groups, and quarrels are not
resolved. Harmony and integration should be approached from temporal, histori-
cal, and conceptual standpoints as well as from a natural, special-compositional,
and existential views.
These views and ways of thinking are the same as those in geography as pre-
sented in the National Curriculum Standards. The integration of humanities and
science is going to be in demand in the world of the twenty-fi rst century, and geog-
raphy education can respond appropriately.
19.5
Curriculum Strategies for Regeneration of Geography
Education
It is imperative to return senior high school Geography to the state prior to 1989
when there was balance between Geography and History education. Policy-related
prospects for that vision are presented below.
Presently, basic research on how to best integrate Geography and History is
commissioned by MEXT and conducted in some research development schools.
The research has only just begun but it is possible that the fi ndings may be refl ected
in the next version of the National Curriculum Standards. The idea of reorganiz-
ing Geography into a new integrated study, such as environment, international
understanding, and area studies, has been replaced by a new movement to merge
geography and history subjects into an integrated course. Tentatively, the sug-
gested course title for the merged course is Integrated Geography and History.
Alternatively the current course may be restructured to Basic Geography and
Basic History.
