"Ihave always wanted to know what it is like to live on earth".
-Yi-FuTuan
Geography is a uniqueblend of the basic and social sciences. It helps provide a wide range ofinformation and understanding that is essential for making sense of a world. Since2013, Shri Kuleshwar Mahadev Government College Gobra Nawapara is offering Geographyas a discipline at the undergraduate level. In a world challenged bydiminishing resources, a rapidly growing population, and increasing tensionsover cultural values, economic development and environmental issues, Geography asa discipline looks into the dynamics of global change and their localexperiences. The course tries to impart a geographical approach to the studentsthus to make them capable of explaining aspects of natural and socialenvironment where they live and in answering some fundamental environmental,economical, socio-cultural and political questions. It is an intellectuallychallenging subject that synthesizes appreciation of critical thinking and synergizingsciences with Humanities. In the pursuit of making sense of the space where onelive, we tries to blend both the traditional and modern methodological tools inour class rooms. Thus it involves the traditional approach of fieldwork,mapping and spatial analysis, complemented by the latest statistical methods,computer cartography, and Geographical Information System.
This course creates anarena of opportunities for the academically inclined as well as for thosestudents who explore options outside the subject after their degree coursessuch as in business, administration, law and planning. It also offers a numberof rewarding opportunities in teaching at all levels of the education system. Withinfew years, the Department of Geography has produced a number of dedicatedstudents. Since 2020, we have started Post graduate programme and its quitepopular among students of Town and surrounding rural areas. Our Main focus ison agriculture Geography and Geographical information system. The Departmentmaintains one Laboratory for teaching purposes and for traditional cartographicexercises and we are planning to establish another laboratory in the newBuilding for computerized cartography and Geographical Information System, aDepartmental Library, and an automated weather station. The Department ofGeography has an active Geographical Society which organizes lectures bydistinguished academicians and other extra and co-curricular activities. TheSociety also facilitates participation of students in various activities. TheDepartment of Geography upholds a culture of research involving the facultymembers and the students.
Lectures are the mostfrequent method of student teacher communication in the learning process.However, this one way communication of prepared talk is made more interestingand visually captivating by power point presentations and teaching with basictools of geography that is maps and globe. Asking questions during the presentationand lectures are encouraged to create deliberate opportunities for the pupilsto ask their own questions and express their views. The learning in theGeography classrooms is thus no longer a one way process as the students areequal participants in the teaching learning process. Along with the usuallectures the department is very keen in tutorial sessions where times is spenton discussing and learning from one another and revisit some topics alreadydone in lectures for more clarity and further understanding. Often, during thetutorials, students are encouraged to carry out better writing and map makingpractices. The tutorials are based on the mentoring methods of teaching at theundergraduate level.
In the practical classes,teachers use lectures, audio visuals and instruments to instruct anddemonstrate students. They are given hands on training on how to use eachinstrument. They are introduced to Topographical Sheets that are integral tothe study of interrelationships between the physical and cultural features inthe maps. They will be trained in computer cartography, GIS and remote sensingtools. Field work is an essential component of Geography curriculum. Field workemphasizes direct experience through observation and sharpening of interpretationskills providing avenues for empirically substantiating what is learnt in theclassroom.