Periyar University researchers to present paper in Scotland

[sajiv]

Periyar University researchers to present paper in Scotland

SALEM: A research project which envisages incorporation of "perspective thinking skills" into the curriculum to improve geography teaching and learning has been selected for presentation in the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference to be held in Scotland in November.

A. Jahitha Begum, a lecturer in the Department of Education in Periyar University and G. Indra, a lecturer in geography in Salem District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) conducted the research and submitted the paper for presentation in the conference.

The researchers say teaching of geography has a great significance as it focuses on the forces shaping society. In many cases, the teacher trainees in the country do not get an opportunity to see the activities of geographic features and they are forced to memorise lessons and reproduce them in the examination. This leads to learning by rote.

For the professional preparation of geography teachers, the research recommends, they should be trained to "practise perspective thinking skills" in map reading, using atlas, concepts and figures related to geography content.

The use of appropriate and interesting teaching aids such as picture encyclopaedia will also help improve the perspective thinking skills.

The researchers have experimented the strategies with the teacher trainees of Salem DIET and the results have proved that the perspective thinking skills enhances the potential of teacher trainees.

"While presenting our research findings in the conference, we will emphasise the need for incorporating the strategies into the curriculum which will kindle the thinking skills of students to a greater extent," the researchers here say.