This paper is written with the object of clarifying the patterns of problem-finding in geographical education. The patterns of problem-finding are directly concerned with the contents of social studies.
The results are as follows.
From the analysis of Japanese textbooks:
1. Problem-finding is neglected in geography textbook in junior and senior high school as the grades advance.
2. The questions for study are well explained in elementary and junior high school.
3. The problem-finding scenes to understand the process of industrial development are rarely dealt with in the unit on industry.
4. Almost all of problem-finding scenes are answerable with commonness.
From the analysis of ‘Key Geography’ in the geography textbooks in UK:
5. The questions for study are well explained in ‘Key Geography’.
6. There are problems about commonness and of local peculiarity in ‘Key Geography’. Pupils are able to recognize the local peculiarity based on theories of locating.
7. Problems about location requirement are systematically arranged in ‘Key Geography’.
Industry studies are done by the inquiry into the change of the location requirement.
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