Geography of the World: Necessary Knowledge
In my work with Mongolian university students, I am often amazed at their lack of knowledge of geography. Although they are familiar with Mongolian geography, given a map of the world they are often unable to find Japan or to identify the continents. One of my exchange students recently could not find South America on the map.
This lack of knowledge of geography is certainly not found only in Mongolia; it also exists in many other countries. However, since my work concerns education in Mongolia, this weakness in their school system worries me particularly.
In our modern, globally connected world, where all countries are interdependent and no nation stands completely alone, a good knowledge of geography is extremely important. How can one understand the daily news and reported events when one does not clearly picture where those events are taking place? With modern systems of communication, where even in the Mongolian countryside television and internet access are common, I wonder why so few Mongolians take an interest in the rest of the world.
I’m told that in grade schools only Mongolian geography and Mongolian history are taught, with perhaps only brief mention of world history. Then, in the universities, a student concentrates on one field only, with no lectures or courses outside that field for a broader general knowledge.
A student of English has courses in English literature but not in the history of the British Empire or North America and cannot find London on a map. A student of technology has little training about the countries which those technologies connect. Can students interested in fashion place Milan, Paris or New York on the map? Can students of history find Istanbul, Athens or Cairo, Moscow or Berlin? Do students of economics know where the countries are to which Mongolian cashmere or coal are being exported?
If not, how can their knowledge of geography be improved? What changes must be made?
Experience shows that changes in the official curriculum at any level of education have little effect on what is really taught. Therefore, we must rely on innovative teachers to weave knowledge about the rest of the world, about geography and reading maps into their lesson plans voluntarily. Geography must be taught in many forms.
Teaching world geography can begin in primary school. If songs are sung in English class, do the students know where those songs come from? That would be easy to learn. If the geography of the Gobi Desert is being studied, do the students know where other, similar deserts are located? The Sahara or the Great Indian Desert?
How can world geography be added to lessons in the secondary school? Certainly the study of physics, mathematics or biology can include short comments about the famous people in those fields and which countries they came from. Can computer freaks find Silicon Valley on a map? With internet access spreading, even students in village schools could be asked to do brief oral or written reports about foreign countries or people.
To make use of these possibilities, the teachers must be encouraged to try new methods and be given time to add geography to their lessons, even if this material may not be included in major exams. And the classrooms must have maps to work with.
All those involved in education should be aware of Mongolia’s many ties to the rest of the world and the need for all citizens of the world to learn geography. The reports of international news on Mongolian radio and TV and in the newspapers could include more general information about the countries involved, thus expanding the people’s general knowledge of those using the media.
Without knowledge of the geography of the world, Mongolians will have trouble finding their own place in that world.
Short URL: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/?p=7319
This lack of knowledge of geography is certainly not found only in Mongolia; it also exists in many other countries. However, since my work concerns education in Mongolia, this weakness in their school system worries me particularly.
In our modern, globally connected world, where all countries are interdependent and no nation stands completely alone, a good knowledge of geography is extremely important. How can one understand the daily news and reported events when one does not clearly picture where those events are taking place? With modern systems of communication, where even in the Mongolian countryside television and internet access are common, I wonder why so few Mongolians take an interest in the rest of the world.
I’m told that in grade schools only Mongolian geography and Mongolian history are taught, with perhaps only brief mention of world history. Then, in the universities, a student concentrates on one field only, with no lectures or courses outside that field for a broader general knowledge.
A student of English has courses in English literature but not in the history of the British Empire or North America and cannot find London on a map. A student of technology has little training about the countries which those technologies connect. Can students interested in fashion place Milan, Paris or New York on the map? Can students of history find Istanbul, Athens or Cairo, Moscow or Berlin? Do students of economics know where the countries are to which Mongolian cashmere or coal are being exported?
If not, how can their knowledge of geography be improved? What changes must be made?
Experience shows that changes in the official curriculum at any level of education have little effect on what is really taught. Therefore, we must rely on innovative teachers to weave knowledge about the rest of the world, about geography and reading maps into their lesson plans voluntarily. Geography must be taught in many forms.
Teaching world geography can begin in primary school. If songs are sung in English class, do the students know where those songs come from? That would be easy to learn. If the geography of the Gobi Desert is being studied, do the students know where other, similar deserts are located? The Sahara or the Great Indian Desert?
How can world geography be added to lessons in the secondary school? Certainly the study of physics, mathematics or biology can include short comments about the famous people in those fields and which countries they came from. Can computer freaks find Silicon Valley on a map? With internet access spreading, even students in village schools could be asked to do brief oral or written reports about foreign countries or people.
To make use of these possibilities, the teachers must be encouraged to try new methods and be given time to add geography to their lessons, even if this material may not be included in major exams. And the classrooms must have maps to work with.
All those involved in education should be aware of Mongolia’s many ties to the rest of the world and the need for all citizens of the world to learn geography. The reports of international news on Mongolian radio and TV and in the newspapers could include more general information about the countries involved, thus expanding the people’s general knowledge of those using the media.
Without knowledge of the geography of the world, Mongolians will have trouble finding their own place in that world.
Short URL: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/?p=7319
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