Geography is boring and useless

[Adam Lasnik]

Okay, that caught your attention, didn't it? :)  But indeed, it's the feeling of a whole lot of kids (and perhaps adults!) nowadays.

But think back to when you were younger.  Some of us were indeed annoyed by having to memorize the locations of states and countries, the names of mountains, and so on.  Why did it all matter?

Some kids are wondering that very same thing today, including one 7th grader who lamented "Dear Geography, for what do I have to study about maps and mountains and all? I don't want to be a map maker or something --"

Help them understand.  Why is the study of Geography important and exciting... not only for society, but for individuals?  What has Geography meant to you?

[zxrayz]

It is amazing how many people have no idea about geography, and I am not talking about fair away countries or cities, or cities on the other site of a large country like the US. Many people have not idea of what it right around them. 

A few weeks ago at a gathering, there was a discussion about where different places and towns are located. I was amazed at how many people had no idea of where well known national tourist attraction and such were located. Then just a few days ago a neighbor was saying how the next town over was in another province. The neighbor has lived in the area for along time and did not know the town 10 minutes down the road was in the same province. So obviously they do not know how size and boundaries of the province they live in. These are not isolated cases; it seems to be the same with most people you talk to.

Geography may not fun for most, but everyone should have at least a basic geographic knowledge of the place where they live and the world in general.

[Umbraro]

Before the internet, children learned geography in the schools by memorizing countries, cities, rivers etc.
Since the introduction of computers and the availability of internet, children learn where and how to search for geographic information, rather than memorizing it.

In the last ten years, so much more information has become available that it is no longer possible to memorize everything. Instead, knowing how to search and select the needed information has become the standard approach. Search engines--Google included--have caused this revolution. We should therefore blame Google for the lack of geographical knowledge amongst children :)

[zxrayz]

Oh my... Google is going to be the geographic mind of the younger generation. We better get the world mapped fast before there is no one left to do it. :)  ....OR.... Maybe it will finally come to satellites and unmanned solar-power Google-mobiles that roam the earth collecting all the data (similar to the automatic roaming vacuums).

[ViswaPrabha (വിശ്വപ്രഭ)]

Geography is not just about positions, maps and names of countries and capitals. It is a lot more spanning from the very primary reasons of why our mother earth is how it is and how every physical, chemical, biological and social factors interconnect and mesh in to each other in the great jigsa puzzle that she is.

Internet in General and Google and Google Maps in particular have in fact helped our ability to learn geography in better perspectives. But they should be used only as effective tools that will help us to see the big picture. These tools should take off the 'memory retention' department and leave more space for basic fundamentals (scientific and common sense) in our brains.

A big picture of geography should encompose not just beautiful maps and interesting names. To a sincere knowledge seeker, it should act as the easiest stepping stone to explore the science, history and even philosophy.

If the average geography awareness of our students have gone down, it has more to do with the way we have changed our educational system and methods. Somewhere we have missed to fit the new  tools the technology has brought to us in the right places.

A few days back, I had a two hour casual (amateur) session with some high school kids, explaining the science, existence, locations and effects of ocean currents. (I am not a school / college teacher and they were not scheduled to listen to a geography preaching too. It just began as casual talk and ended up interesting and serious). Supposedly, they all had their normal dose of boring geography lessons in the schools already. Yet, it seemed that they were completely awed by my revelations and interpretations about the importance of ocean currents in the whole global climatic and biome systems. Apparently, their curriculum missed a lot of simple fundamentals and science and instead, just stressed more about the 'name's and 'locations' aptly for another futile memory retention exercise.

On Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 02:20, zxrayz <ma...@zxrayz.com> wrote:

Oh my... Google is going to be the geographic mind of the younger generation. We better get the world mapped fast before there is no one left to do it. :)  ....OR.... Maybe it will finally come to satellites and unmanned solar-power Google-mobiles that roam the earth collecting all the data (similar to the automatic roaming vacuums).

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[CNR Nair]

Viswam

It is high time we start a blog on these aspects so that not only students but elders as well learn more about it.

Hope you will take an attempt in this direction.

Seasons wishes & Regards

CNR  

2010/12/25 ViswaPrabha (വിശ്വപ്രഭ) <viswa...@gmail.com>

[Adam Lasnik]

CNR, your idea of a blog is a neat one!  Perhaps even passionate students could author guest articles.

And everyone... I wish I could package you up and take you on tours to schools.  Young people need to understand that, indeed, Geography isn't just about memorizing places, but about so much more... and it really does affect all of us.