Locating ourselves in space
Kiran Gandhi
There are some subjects that have a mundane aspect about them that make them somewhat boring despite our best efforts. Geography is not one of these subjects though. Quite the contrary, it offers myriad opportunities to improvise and innovate in its teaching. Yet, geography seldom receives due attention. There are umpteen studies conducted about the geography literacy of Americans. Studies show that one-fifth of Americans fail to locate USA on a map. Many people fail to locate even their state on the map of USA. We don’t know the extent of our geographic literacy here in India. If we want to gauge the geographic awareness of our children, we can start by asking two simple questions:
1. In which hemisphere does India lie?
2. Does the equator pass through India?
I asked my 8th grader cousin, who is a brilliant student, these questions. According to him, India lies in the southern hemisphere and equator passes through India.
Is geography literacy the mere ability to identify countries on a map?
National Geographic calls geography literacy: “the ability to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make far-reaching decisions.” It relies on three conceptual pillars:
- Interaction: The world is made of systems that are connected to one another and which interact permanently in multiple ways at multiple scales (of time and space).
- Connection: Peoples and places are connected to one another to form a global, complex, and dynamic network.
- Implication: The decision-making process related to land and resource management as well as urban and rural planning depends on how well we know the interactions and connections happening in our world.
Do we really need to pay much attention to geography? After all, it is not maths that will help one become an engineer nor is it science that will make one a doctor. So can’t we just turn a blind eye to it? The answer is a resounding no. The boundaries separating countries have become so blur that they are no longer apparent. Owing to globalization and technological advancements, there is a never before exchange of ideas, culture, and resources. If we are unaware of the lands and people of this world, we will be caught napping in this ever shrinking world. A clear understanding of people and their culture is essential in formulating policies as their implications are global. The butterfly effect is a present reality.
The cliché ‘not seeing the bigger picture’ is true in case of our geography learning. We study some basics about the earth, geological, atmospheric, and hydrological conditions. Then we move on to countries (mostly one from each continent). We somehow relegate all this to mere theory and fail to see the bigger picture of how all this fits into one large system. Familiarity with maps is one area to begin with. Every classroom should have a world map and children should know the locations of the continents and oceans. The climatic conditions of different places are largely due to their location. Instead of mugging up different climate types and their features, we should learn how they are formed. No student should attend a geography class without an atlas. The importance of using an atlas cannot be overemphasized. But unfortunately, that’s not been given due diligence. Once children learn the basics of latitude and longitude and develop an overall understanding of location of countries, they can easily relate different climate types with the countries. Studying geography can be like taking a world tour if you can let your imagination fly.
So how can we make geography learning fun? Here are a few tips.
1. Use videos and power-point presentations
There are videos available about almost every aspect of geography. These will make learning more fun and children will be able to remember the facts more easily.
2. Make fun quizzing games
Children can be made to play games like locating a country on a map to induce their interest in the subject. Making them locate countries within a stipulated time can make it more fun and engaging.
3. Acquaint them with sites that make geography learning fun
There are websites that provide novel ways of geography learning. Acquaint the children with such sites so as to increase their appetite for the subject.
4. Track the countries in news
The international news page in newspapers can be a very good source for increasing children’s knowledge about countries. We should discuss the countries in news, their location, people, history, etc.
5. Know our neighbours and friends
Before we dwell on distant countries we should familiarize our children with our neighbouring countries and other countries of the Asian continent. India enters into talks with many countries and the heads of many countries visit India. We should learn more about them in such circumstances.
6. Let the children speak
The Indian diaspora is a very diverse one. We all have relatives or family friends that are living in foreign lands. Children should be encouraged to learn from them about those countries and then discuss in the classroom. They can also be made to talk about the country they would like to visit and other such things.
7. The geography of history
“God created war so that Americans would learn geography.” – Mark Twain
But do we learn geography from history? The geography in history is something we don’t pay heed to. It is time to learn geography from our history, as the geography of the world contributed very much to its history.
8. Inform children about the career opportunities that geography offers
Since nowadays we all learn something only if it helps us get a job, it is imperative to inform students about the career opportunities geography offers. Though there aren’t many job titles that are ‘geographer’, the options are still plenty. There are many options like urban planner, cartographer, climatologist, GIS specialist, environmental management and the like.
May be the time and syllabus allotted for geography do not warrant such attention. But such attention is long over due. Such activities can be fun and will take the pressure off the children from the drudgery of academics. They have even been found to improve their performance in other subjects. It’s the perfect combination of fun and learning. All we need to do is trigger the interest in children and they will sustain it for the rest of their lives. Such is the magic of geography.
The author is a freelance writer with a degree in engineering. He mostly writes short stories and sports articles, and blogs at Kirangandhiblog.wordpress.com. He can be reached at kirengandhi@gmail.com.
