The Historical Significance of Learning about Natural Resources: Analyzing pre-WWII Natural History/Mineralogy Textbooks

Abstract

In this paper, the authors discussed the significance of why students should learn natural resources education from pre-WWII historical perspectives, and in the context of human life and the natural environment. We analyzed Natural history (Mineralogy) textbooks used at secondary schools for boys from 1886 to 1941; in this period, the term ‘resources’ appeared, and the concept of resources was established. We analyzed the following data referring to the Isozaki’s notion of aims and objectives: the numbers of natural resources mentioned in the textbooks, the ideas of leading professors of the Imperial Universities who were the textbooks authors, and social changes relating to natural resources during that time period. Consequently, we found out that the changing of the types and numbers of natural resources in the textbooks during the period reflected the rapid social changes of the era. In addition, the cultural and liberal values of learning about natural resources had begun to be emphasized after the subject ‘Mineralogy’ and the term ‘resources’ were established, and continued to be emphasized constantly, even when changes in society were occurring. On the other hand, the emphasis of the practical and utilitarian, and the economic and national values of learning about natural resources had changed at various times due to the social changes. The authors suggested the following two points: (1) The significance of learning about resources should include learning with respect to positive contributions to the learners’ lives and, moreover, to the students’ personality development. Cultural and liberal values are important in learning about resources. (2) The contents of natural resources should include learning about regional uniqueness, scarcity of resources, formation of resources, and relationships between society and technology.