Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Second, it is easy for students to master the ability to discern geographic
characteristics through fi eld research. As Ukita (
1970
) indicates, a micro region
such as a local area has different geographic characteristics that are interconnected.
Therefore, it is generally easy to determine connections between various phenomena
in a micro region. For instance, children have diffi culty understanding the process
by which agricultural products are delivered from producers to consumers when
they only learn about Japan's distribution system on a macro level. At a micro level
such as a village, it is comparatively easy to investigate the overall fl ow of a farmer's
distribution of agricultural products to a greengrocer through a wholesaler. In this
way, it is easy to recognize connections between phenomena in a micro region.
To reveal geographic characteristics, we must focus on connections between differ-
ent elements in a region. On this point, it is easier for students to identify such
connections, through fi eld research, between regional elements in a micro region
than in a macro region. This can also be a fruitful training ground for the observa-
tion of characteristics in a macro region.
The third signifi cance of fi eld research is that it can be a yardstick for comparing
regions. The learning as well as the experience from fi eld research and direct observa-
tions provide a benchmark for studying regions inside and outside Japan. For example,
if students can picture the size of a 1-hectare farmland through fi eld research, they
can accurately imagine the size of farmlands in a foreign country. Knowledge and a
comparative ability acquired from fi eld research can also function effectively as a
standard of comparison when students try to understand the culture and social structure
of another region. In addition, these experiences contribute to students rethinking the
value of a local area through observation from a larger perspective.
The fourth factor is that fi eld research provides a means for students in a geogra-
phy class to learn geographical skills. Field research gives students the opportunity
to observe scenery, learn fundamental research skills (e.g., reading and drawing a
map, interviewing skills), which are diffi cult to learn in the classroom. In the class-
room, a typical lesson on topographic maps takes place on a desk. Generally, stu-
dents read contour lines and decipher the meaning of symbols. Route fi nding,
however, a practical skill in real life, is diffi cult to acquire in the classroom. Thus,
fi eld research offers an authentic environment for students to master practical these
geography skills.
The fi fth benefi t of fi eld research is that it compensates poor childhood experience.
As Takeuchi (
2002
) reports, children's perceptions of the social world have become
distorted because many do not have natural and social experiences across a variety of
settings.
4
The mass media also highlights children's underdeveloped space perception,
self-centered thinking patterns, and a narrow-minded sense of value. These patterns
are infl uenced by the changing environment in which children live, such as the trend
toward the nuclear family, popularization of computer games, and the collapse of
regional society. Students have an opportunity to learn about diverse values and life
experiences outside these indoor situations through fi eld research where students are
4
As Teramoto (
2002
) pointed out, children today draw maps much more poorly than children in the
1980s, showing that their lack of experience of the real world greatly affects their development of
space perception.
