Place of Laboratory Based Activities in Geography Curriculum and Effect of the Laboratory Based Activities in Skill Development in Geography at the Higher Secondary School Level

Abstract

Geography is a fascinating subject that provides understanding about people, space and physical environment, and their relationships. Geography learning is important because it helps learners to understand the Earth s physical environment and human activities and their interaction process. Geography is the study of location and distribution of Earth s features, living beings and natural resources (Balsubramanian, 2014). Geography learning helps the individuals to understand the location, people, ideas, environments, and resources in respect of their provinces and countries. Alam (2010) states that every child has the right to know how different people, places, and environments look and are similar or different to them. Geography learning helps the learner to be more socially and environmentally responsible, sensitive and informed citizens. Geography learning offers the children fundamental knowledge of the society and its surroundings, develops basic geographical understanding, contributes to individual development, provides a wide variety of specific skills, and discusses various key issues which are necessary for aware citizens (Maude, 2010). Geography learning provides knowledge to learners to read maps, to interpret information at a geographical scale, and to appreciate Earth as humankind s homeland. Geography learning helps to explore all activities and changes that have been taking place in the world since the dawn of mankind. It helps the learners to describe the physical features of the world and provides scope to explore human activities and their contribution to the world economy. Learning of geography helps the learners to develop a deeper understanding of today s most challenging issues such as population explosion, climate change and scarcity of natural resources, etc. Therefore, geography learning occupies an important place in our life and more specifically in our school education system.