Teachers' Perception of the Reality of Geography Education in Nepal

This paper analyzes the teachers' perceptions of the reality of geography education in Nepal. The term teachers' perceptions refer to a how teachers attach meaning to experience in the realities of geography education. It is based teachers involved in teaching geography at the campus university level in the Kathmandu Valley. It looks at the contribution that geography can make in the education of young people and the flourishing of the subject of geography in Nepal. For this purpose, a descriptive survey method was employed. The information used in this paper was obtained through questionnaires, focus group discussions, and observation. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select teachers. The results indicated that input is a dominant factor for the quality of geography education. Other factors like government policy, student interests, job markets, and perceptions of people, planners, policymakers, and administrators are also indicators that received the lowest rating of geography education in the study area. The findings show that the relationship between policies and practices of teaching-learning processes influenced the teachers’ perception of geography education.

Teachers’ Perceptions toward using Geography Textbooks: A Study in Secondary Schools in Nepal

This paper is an attempt to examine the teacher’s perception on use of geography textbooks at the secondary school level in the Kathmandu district of Bagmati Province, Nepal. Eight geography teachers who teach geography in community secondary schools were selected purposively. The semi-structured interview and class observation method were used to obtain on the teacher’s perceptions regarding the usages of secondary level geography textbooks. The classroom observation was used to see how teachers used geography textbooks in the classrooms by observation protocol. The interviews were recorded on audio recorder and transcribed it. The data obtained from interviews provided more profound answers and crossed check accuracy of the observational data. After collecting necessary data, analysis of the data acquired from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were made through the interpretative method by combining different sources of data. The results reveal that geography teachers who had pro-textbook views believed that their teaching could be conducted effectively using the textbooks. By contrast, teachers who had anti-textbook views believe that geography textbook was inadequate and ineffective. Secondary level geography textbooks contain both potential and limitations. The teacher should supplement geography textbooks with other authentic teaching materials to give learners more learning.

Status of Job Availability for Postgraduates in Geography Education

This paper attempts to analyze the situation of job availability in the markets for postgraduates, especially masters in geography education (M.Ed.). It also covers the scope of jobs in the markets, status of job involvement, and level of satisfaction based on qualitative research design and secondary data sources. Primary data were collection from interviews and discussions with teachers and postgraduate students of geography education. Secondary data were collection from various sources including digital libraries. The findings of this paper indicate that the postgraduate in Geography education is involved in different jobs such as teaching, educational research, administration, and educational planning in government, public and private sector institutions. Most of those who are engaged in teaching professions seem satisfied with their job. Besides, some private-sector workers are not happy with their work. Recently, the geography curriculum has offered geographic information systems (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing (RS) as well as other tools and techniques. This may open ample job opportunities for geography graduates. The Department of Geography Education should be committed to producing skilled and competent man powers to fulfill market needs, and the government should make a policy arrangement to give priority in teaching, research, administration, and planning in education for the manpower produced in this subject.

Place of Geography in School Level Curriculum

This paper examines the place of geography in the school- level curriculum in Nepal. The rearm curriculum defines as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. Specifically, it is referred to a planned sequence of instruction, or a view of the student'; experiences in terms of the educator; or school's; instructional goals. After the establishment of Durbar High School in Nepal in 1910 and the School Leaving Certificate Board in 1990, the subject of Geography was formally introduced. This subject had recognized as a compulsory subject at the school level curriculum before the NESP. After the NESP (1971), the issue had allocated 50 marks, becoming has becomes an optional subject since 1982. Geographic concepts have been taught after the introduction of the social studies curriculum at the secondary level since 1992.At present, geography is teaching in Nepal as an elective subject from secondary level to higher education. However, this subject seems less of a priority for students than mathematics, computer, and account. For this purpose, data collected from the review of the report published from the Education Commissions, Curriculum Development Center, the records of the National Examination Board, e-resources, and other concerned bodies. This paper concludes that geography subject at the school level is in a crisis. However, with the inclusion of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial planning in the curriculum from the school level, the future of this subject looks bright.

Implications of Key Philosophical Assumptions and Paradigms in Geography Teaching and Research

Geography has had limited interchange with the implications of major philosophical assumptions and paradigms in geographical education and research methodology. This paper claims a closer engagement with the philosophical arguments on ontology, epistemology, and axiology as well as the research and teaching strategies or paradigms. It is adopted and has much to offer to geography, not least in providing a showground within which very different types of geographical inquiry i.e., qualitative and quantitative, may find some common ground for helpful discussion and debate in geographic research. Nevertheless, this will only be fully accomplished if geography enters on: (1) studies that develop and arrange clear positivist ideas and concepts within the particular geographic research; (2) studies that attempt to relate geographic research to the broader realm of the constructionism/ interpretivism tradition; and (3) examination of the link of the geographic research with the pragmatism. The contemporary revival of geographic paradigm is described, together with its impacts on research and teaching methodology in geography. The prevailing literature on geographical rendezvous with positivism is then examined, and it is claimed that there is a single reality, which can be measured and known. Therefore, they are more likely to use quantitative methods to measure the fact. Likewise, constructivist believe that there is no single reality or truth. Thus, existence need to be interoperated, and consequently they are more likely to use qualitative methods to get those multiple realities. Pragmatism has much broader relevance within both physical and human geography, not linked to particular research styles. It believes that truth or reality is constantly negotiated, debated, interpreted and therefore, the best method to use is to solve the problem or explores the truth or fact.

Trends of Students' Enrollment in Dhankuta Multiple Campus

This paper attempts to explore the students' enrolment trends in Dhankuta Multiple Campus. The discipline of geography has offered in Bachelor's degree level at the Faculties of Education (FoE), and Humanities, and Social Sciences (FoHSS) since 1970. This paper is based on the review of relevant materials collected from the official records of the Dhankuta Multiple Campus. The data covers 25 years (1996-2020) of student enrolment in the Bachelor's first year of both faculties. Students' enrolment data reveals that the student enrolment rate in the FoHSS seems to be the same while fluctuations observed in the FoE. The enrolment rate in the FoE reached its climax in 2005, and it has gradually declined after 2010. The FoE offered a single-subject specialization policy in the Bachelors of Degree Program, phasing out the proficiency certificate level from the university; the declining number of feeder schools offering geography and the state economic policies are responsible factors to deterioration the student enrolment. Therefore, the concerned authorities need to take appropriate steps to increase student enrolment.

Paraxis on Geography Education in Nepal

This paper attempts to analyze the paradoxical view on geography education in Nepal. Praxis interplays the relationships between theory and practice-reflection in action in any academic discipline, like geography education. Geography education demonstrates the strategic linkages of content and pedagogy in teaching and research activities. Even now, geography occupies an important place not only in schools but also in university curricula. However, the easier it is to define geography, the harder it is to define geography education. Butt (2011) includes both parameters of geography (as a discipline) and education (as an activity) in the definition of geography education. This paper fulfills the objectives through systematic reviews of appropriate literature related to geography education. For this purpose, 50 documents were searched from different sources, such as Google, abstracts, keywords, and books. Only 15 papers and books were selected that gave pace to theories, methods, and pedagogical practices in geography education. The findings of this paper show that the definition of geography education is limited only to teaching geography in schools and colleges. In addition, teaching requires content knowledge (subject matters) related to geographic concepts, themes, traditions, tools and techniques, and contemporary issues related to climate change, environmental degradation, disasters, etc., in the curriculum. Pedagogical knowledge is also equally essential to deliver that content effectively to learners. Thus, geography provides the basis for choosing what content to teach at a particular level and, geography education helps to select teaching methods. It shows that the first is focused on the content and the second on pedagogy.

Vulnerability Assessment of Squatter Settlement in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Nepal

Squatter settlement is uncontrolled and unplanned settlement consisting of dwelling built on land that is not owned. Squatters are the most vulnerable groups being very poor. This paper assessed the extent of socio-economic characteristics, causes of being squatters, vulnerability and their adaptation strategies of Sundarbazar area in Butwal. The descriptive analytical methodology was employed to generate data from both primary and secondary data sources. Out of 339 households, 113 households were selected through a systematic random sampling procedure. Field observation, focus group discussion and personal interviews were also applied to collect primary data. The squatter settlement in the study area has inadequate accommodation, poor access of safe water, sanitation, unmanaged waste disposal system and polluted environment. Poor economic condition, unemployment, and natural disaster along with availability of free land are the major cause of being squatters in this region. Furthermore, risk of health hazard, unemployment, and income uncertainty are the vulnerability of squatter people in the study area. It is concluded that poverty reduction in both rural and urban area can solve this problem but providing income generation opportunities, basic service facilities are major concern at present. In the developing countries like Nepal, squatter settlement is less known in literature and curriculum of formal education. Thus, it requires to aware new generation through school education system and the higher level for better urban planning and management in the future.

Curriculum Development in Geography Education

This paper aims to analyze the historical development of the geography education curriculum. Geography has been occupying an important place since its inception at the Faculty of Education, Tribhuvan University in Nepal. This paper is a review paper. Reviewed materials were collected from different sources, such as official records of the Faculty of Education (FoE), Curriculum Development Centers (CDC) of TU, and archive documents. The findings show that geography has taught as an optional subject at the Bachelor and Master levels in the Faculty of Education. The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of geographic fields, such as physical, human, regional, tools and techniques, and applied concepts, themes, and issues. They are tourism, environments, disaster, climate change, mountains, and so on at both levels. This paper concludes that the curriculum of geography education focuses on content rather than pedagogy. However, it is equally important and necessary to enhance the knowledge on pedagogical content for teachers, educators, educational planners, researchers, and freelancers who are engaged in geography education.

Rural Livelihoods at Risk: A Case of Devghat Gaunpalika in the Western Hills, Nepal

People's livelihood determines by a variety of factors- availability of assets, opportunities, and restrictions created by the environment, and people's evaluation of these factors. The present paper aims to analyze adversities of rural livelihoods focusing on the case of Devghat Gaunpalika of Tanahun district, Nepal. This article is based on primary data/information acquired from a field survey conducted during December 2017 through group discussion, key informant interview, and field observation. People in the Devghat area perform farm and off-farm activities to eke out wide shorts of their livelihood needs. However, livelihood in this area is at risk owing to combination of adversities such as food insufficiency, shortage of facilities and services, low level of educational attainment, lower household income, and others. Three-fourth of the households adopted agriculture as their main occupation to fulfil their household needs. Household income is low. About of 62 percent households earn below NRs 5000 per month. Twenty-five percent of the population earns their livelihood by working as wage-based labors. A low level of educational attainment and poor coping capacity also indicate local livelihoods at risk.