Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
understand the thinking of forebears who created a better community and heightened
interest in the local area through studying the boundary adjustments that were
made in the past.
3.2.5
The Nurturing of Geographical Skills
In the geography fi eld, the importance of utilizing large scale maps and atlases has
constantly been pointed out. Simply, maps as tools, map reading, and map making
are indispensable skills for understanding geographical phenomena and for advancing
the fundamental geographic ways of looking at and thinking about the world.
By using maps effectively to explain phenomena, in the meanwhile adding one's
own interpretations and making arguments, and exchanging ideas, are all elements
to fostering skills (e.g., abilities to think, make judgments, and to express oneself)
unique to map learning. From this standpoint, along with Social Studies courses in
elementary school and Geography and History in high school, to classes in the
geography fi eld of junior high school Social Studies, much emphasis is put on
nurturing geographical skills that are focused on the utilization of maps.
Geographical skills, including the geographic way of looking and thinking, are not
something that can be instilled through one class or a single experience, but rather
developed through the process of repeated learning in which the level of familiarity
gradually increases. Towards that end, as teaching materials intended to foster geo-
graphical skills, the Saitama Social Studies Education Research Association (
2009
)
proposed the creation of study cards. First, they created a list of the basic knowledge,
concepts, and skills related to the geographical expectations outlined. Then, as teaching
materials that would foster the geographical skills on this list, they created study cards
in color that explained, for example, the reading and interpretation of rank-division
maps, or the methods for creating a population graph.
Harigaya et al. (
2008
) attempted to systematically arrange learning about maps
and topographic maps in elementary, junior high and high schools by focusing on
three points: 'learning content and aims,' 'how to read maps and express things in maps,'
and 'suggestions for the use of maps and topographic maps.' However, while the
importance of similar mapping skills have been pointed out (e.g., Ida (
2008
)), the
curriculum for learning these skills at four different levels, from elementary through
high school, has yet to be implemented. The learning of skills in incremental stages
is something that should be implemented in the future.
Given the advancement of globalization, increasing geographical recognition,
and the enhancement of geographical skills, it is now more important to cultivate
the basic resources and skills so students can appropriately make use of available
information and information technology. From this standpoint, it is desirable to
actively devise ways of utilizing computers and information and communications
networks. The Fujisawa City Education and Culture Center (
2007
) leads training
with mapping information acquired from geographic information systems (GIS) for
the creation of maps and graphs. They are assisting in the implementation of classes
at each of the elementary and junior high schools in the city.
