Interlinkages between geographical competencies and value education: implications in the classrooms

Author: 
Agnihotri Seema

The current century can be easily marked by dichotomies where on the one hand humanity is experiencing dense connectivity through advance technology and on the other feeling isolated and alone at the individual level. Due to all these, our value system is on hold. Many disciplines are addressing these issues according to their expertise and nature but no discipline can help us better than the geography which over the two centuries has tried to understand the intricacies of the physical and human relation through different approaches in a scientific manner. Geographical competencies not only enable us to remove our spatial biases but also curtail down the existence of stereotypes, prejudices and biases, emanating from spatial ignorance. Further, it also holds the key to transform our perception about the resources which under the materialistic outlook seems to be infinite. With this background, this paper is attempting at the theoretical level with slight empirical evidences to inter relate geography with the value education. The main objective of this paper is to signify the geographical competencies as value laden software to promote the peaceful and harmonious world by minimizing the negativity prevailing while interacting with the spatial environment. In order to vindicate the objective, data was collected from the pre-service teachers to observe their geographical competencies regarding different places of the earth by abiding the norms of standard geographical competencies in mind. The paper concludes by evolving the framework where geographical competencies will be interlinked with the specific values, to be used in the classroom transaction to promote peaceful world

Paper No: 
2033