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Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise

Year 2015, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 151 - 165, 31.08.2015

Abstract

This
paper examines the status and relevant challenges in Japan’s primary geography
education system, from the perspectives of curriculum and levels of teachers’
expertise. Japanese elementary schools adopted the subject Social Studies in
the National Curriculum Standards. These emphasize geographical content and the
curriculum structure utilizing a regional geography approach. This research
study assessed the geography content included in Social Studies, as well as the
levels of teachers’ expertise. The study revealed that: 1) qualitative
difference in teaching activities depended on whether or not teachers majored
in Social Studies at teacher training college; 2) teachers who did major in
Social Studies tended  proactively to
develop their own customized teaching materials, and focused on emphasizing a
wide range of scholastic skill development in their lessons; 3) ensuring that
teachers had sufficient time to develop in meaningful educational opportunities
for students outside the classroom was a major issue; and 4) additionally, the
ability of teachers to develop these customized teaching materials is related
to whether or not they majored in Social Studies, especially geographical
matters directly. The study reveals a need to establish continued professional
development programs (CPDs), enhancement of geographical content in teacher
training courses, and geography as compulsory subject in the senior high school
curriculum, in order to increase the geographical expertise of primary teachers
in Japan. 

References

  • Akimoto, H., Takizawa, Y., Ishizuka, K., Hirasawa, K., Agemura, Y. & Komiya, M. (2010). The present condition and problems of the geography education in the teacher-training of elementary schools: An analysis by the questionnaire survey for newly-appointed teachers. The New Geography, 58(1), 33-42.*
  • Catling, S., Bowels, R., Halocha, J., Martin, F. and Rawlinson, S. (2007). The state of Geography in English primary schools. Geography, 92(2), 118-136.
  • Ida, Y., and & Shimura, T. (2015). Outline of geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 3-17.
  • Ida, Y., and & Takizawa, Y. (2015). Basic geography and the future of geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 235-42.
  • Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.). (2015). Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer. Izumi, Y. & Iwamoto, H. (2015). The association of Japanese geographers’ social action program and geography education. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 143-153.
  • NIER: National Institute for Educational Policy Research. (2008). Tokutei no kadai ni kansuru cyousa ‘syakai’; cyousa kekka ‘syougakkou cyuugakko’ (Survey on specific issues ‘Social Studies’; the survey results ‘elementary schools and junior high schools’). NIER http://www.nier.go.jp/kaihatsu/tokutei_shakai/index.htm*
  • Shimura, T. (2014). Geography education research trends at the Commision of Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union in relation to research in Japan. Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 66(2), 30-50.**
  • Shimura, T. (2015). A generation of New Geography Education in 1960s’ England: from Madingley Conference to Charney Manor Conference. Geographical Reports of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 50, 1-8.
  • Shimura, T., Ibaraki, S., Yamamoto, T. & Ohsaki, K. (2014). An analytical study of Social Studies lesson practices and expertise of Social Studies teachers: Findings from research at Joetsu in Niigata, JAPAN. Joetsu Social Studies, 29, 31-40.*
  • Sakai, T., Matsukawa, S., Kawasaki, S., Watanabe, T. & Osawa, K. (2011). Tokyo-to syou-gakkou-kyoin no jyugyo ni kansuru cyousa-kenkyu: Syakaika wo cyuusinn to site (Research on the teaching of elementary school teachers in Tokyo: As focusing on Social Studies). Gakugei-syakai (Journal of Social Studies education association at Tokyo Gagkugei University), 27, 3-54.*
  • Tabe, T. (2004). The Japanese-American comparison of the geographical skill in the initiation term. Geographical Sciences, 59(3), 132-139.*
  • Takeuchi, H. (2015). Social participation in the community and geography education. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 95-106.
  • Teramoto, K. (2015). Maps, globes, cognitive space and geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (eds), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 87-94.
  • Toida, K., Yoshimizu, H. & Iwamoto, H. (2012). Trends in Japan’s geography education: Focusing on the 1980s to the present. Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 64(6), 46-71.
  • Yoshida, K. (2015). Problems and perspectives of geography education in Japanese elementary schools. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 19-24. Yuda, M. (2015). Textbook approval system and geography textbooks in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 49-62. (*: in Japanese, **: in Japanese with English abstract)
Year 2015, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 151 - 165, 31.08.2015

Abstract

References

  • Akimoto, H., Takizawa, Y., Ishizuka, K., Hirasawa, K., Agemura, Y. & Komiya, M. (2010). The present condition and problems of the geography education in the teacher-training of elementary schools: An analysis by the questionnaire survey for newly-appointed teachers. The New Geography, 58(1), 33-42.*
  • Catling, S., Bowels, R., Halocha, J., Martin, F. and Rawlinson, S. (2007). The state of Geography in English primary schools. Geography, 92(2), 118-136.
  • Ida, Y., and & Shimura, T. (2015). Outline of geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 3-17.
  • Ida, Y., and & Takizawa, Y. (2015). Basic geography and the future of geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 235-42.
  • Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. & Oshima, H. (Eds.). (2015). Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer. Izumi, Y. & Iwamoto, H. (2015). The association of Japanese geographers’ social action program and geography education. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 143-153.
  • NIER: National Institute for Educational Policy Research. (2008). Tokutei no kadai ni kansuru cyousa ‘syakai’; cyousa kekka ‘syougakkou cyuugakko’ (Survey on specific issues ‘Social Studies’; the survey results ‘elementary schools and junior high schools’). NIER http://www.nier.go.jp/kaihatsu/tokutei_shakai/index.htm*
  • Shimura, T. (2014). Geography education research trends at the Commision of Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union in relation to research in Japan. Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 66(2), 30-50.**
  • Shimura, T. (2015). A generation of New Geography Education in 1960s’ England: from Madingley Conference to Charney Manor Conference. Geographical Reports of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 50, 1-8.
  • Shimura, T., Ibaraki, S., Yamamoto, T. & Ohsaki, K. (2014). An analytical study of Social Studies lesson practices and expertise of Social Studies teachers: Findings from research at Joetsu in Niigata, JAPAN. Joetsu Social Studies, 29, 31-40.*
  • Sakai, T., Matsukawa, S., Kawasaki, S., Watanabe, T. & Osawa, K. (2011). Tokyo-to syou-gakkou-kyoin no jyugyo ni kansuru cyousa-kenkyu: Syakaika wo cyuusinn to site (Research on the teaching of elementary school teachers in Tokyo: As focusing on Social Studies). Gakugei-syakai (Journal of Social Studies education association at Tokyo Gagkugei University), 27, 3-54.*
  • Tabe, T. (2004). The Japanese-American comparison of the geographical skill in the initiation term. Geographical Sciences, 59(3), 132-139.*
  • Takeuchi, H. (2015). Social participation in the community and geography education. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 95-106.
  • Teramoto, K. (2015). Maps, globes, cognitive space and geography education in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (eds), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 87-94.
  • Toida, K., Yoshimizu, H. & Iwamoto, H. (2012). Trends in Japan’s geography education: Focusing on the 1980s to the present. Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 64(6), 46-71.
  • Yoshida, K. (2015). Problems and perspectives of geography education in Japanese elementary schools. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 19-24. Yuda, M. (2015). Textbook approval system and geography textbooks in Japan. In Ida, Y., Yuda, M., Shimura, T., Ike, S., Ohnishi, K. and Oshima, H. (Eds.), Geography education in Japan, Tokyo: Springer, 49-62. (*: in Japanese, **: in Japanese with English abstract)
There are 15 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Takashi Shımura This is me

Publication Date August 31, 2015
Submission Date April 24, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2015 Volume: 5 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Shımura, T. (2015). Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise. Review of International Geographical Education Online, 5(2), 151-165.
AMA Shımura T. Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise. Review of International Geographical Education Online. August 2015;5(2):151-165.
Chicago Shımura, Takashi. “Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum As Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise”. Review of International Geographical Education Online 5, no. 2 (August 2015): 151-65.
EndNote Shımura T (August 1, 2015) Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise. Review of International Geographical Education Online 5 2 151–165.
IEEE T. Shımura, “Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise”, Review of International Geographical Education Online, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 151–165, 2015.
ISNAD Shımura, Takashi. “Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum As Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise”. Review of International Geographical Education Online 5/2 (August 2015), 151-165.
JAMA Shımura T. Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise. Review of International Geographical Education Online. 2015;5:151–165.
MLA Shımura, Takashi. “Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum As Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise”. Review of International Geographical Education Online, vol. 5, no. 2, 2015, pp. 151-65.
Vancouver Shımura T. Primary Geography Education in Japan: Curriculum as Social Studies, Practices and Teachers’ Expertise. Review of International Geographical Education Online. 2015;5(2):151-65.