Developing Culture

Different ways to Teach

   There are many different ways to make learning more interesting. The use of videos enable students to view different scenarios and case studies and relate to them to their work. 

   This video shows a group of men from Sudan travelling to the United States of America. It is evident that their culture is completely different to those who live in the USA. 

Population Distribution

   Cities and towns across the world are becoming more varied, due to international migration, ageing populations, residential mobility and lifestyle choices, therefore contemporary societies are becoming more socially and culturally diverse. 

   

   However, there are many factors which means people tend to stay in the same groups. Groups of people who share similar interests and recognise themselves as members of the same group, religion, culture and ethnicity. Cultural factors, such as cultural traits and the affinity to a country of origin, the existence of mutual support and availability of national services (Peach, 1996) play a massive part in shaping the residential pattern of minority ethnic communities. 

"People with different backgrounds tend to live in the same residential spaces."

   The main minority ethnic groups include:

• Asian
• Indian
• Pakistani
• Black Caribbean
• Chinese
• Other white ethnicities

   This can be applied to cities around the United Kingdom. Leeds has a diverse population of 751,500 people with around 11% being of an ethnic minority. The population of the city  is known to be separated roughly into clusters. An older population live in the suburban areas of the city, with the younger generations living in the north-west close to the centrally located universities. The working class population tend to live in the south and the centre of the city, whilst people with more skilled occupations live in the north. In the northern inner city, the minority ethnic population is the majority. 

   Ethnic minorities chose to live near people of the same cultural background/ ethnicity because they feel safe and comfortable because the people who are around them have the same beliefs and lifestyles, they are not 'different'. 

Peach, C. (1996) Does Britain have ghettos?, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, New Series, 21(1), 216-235.

Welcome to my GeogBlog :-)

As part of my preliminary work for my PGCE, I have identified Cultural Geography as the area of the subject where I feel least confident and where I need to develop my knowledge. As I have done a degree in Geography and Natural Hazards, I feel far more confident with physical geography then I do with the human aspect of it.
Cultural Geography can be defined as:

"Cultural geography is the study of the many cultural aspects found throughout the world and how they relate to the spaces and places where they originate and then travel as people continually move across various areas"

By creating this blog I will develop my understanding of this subject area, by exploring Cultural Geography using various aids; explanations, definitions, videos and other resources, exploring how different forms of information and ways of learning may be used to link resources with students. 

Websites used:
http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/culturalovervie.htm

Using Personal Experiences when Teaching Cultural Geography

   Students cultural identities are defined by their life experiences. In city schools there is more likely to be a diverse range of students from a variety of different backgrounds.
   
   The cultural identities of students are constructed from their experiences with the twelve attributes of culture identified by Cushner, McCelland and Safford (2000). These include; 

• Ethnicity / Nationality
• Social class
• Sex / Gender
• Health
• Age
• Geographic region
• Sexuality
• Religion
• Social status
• Language
• Ability / Disability
• Race

   It is possible to use some of these attributes to develop knowledge of cultural geography in the classroom. Pupils can discuss the religion they follow, the language they speak and the geographic region from where they or their families are from. Following on from this they can talk about the food they eat, what clothes they wear and their home life. They can then learn WHY different groups of people, from all over the world have different lifestyles. 

   By drawing on their own experiences pupils may be able to grasp concepts much easier. 

Implications of Cultural Tourism?

   Cultural tourism is an important way of bringing people and money into an area. In Australia 23 million people visit it’s cultural and heritage locations, making up 70% of all international visitors and 27 % of domestic visitors. Heritage and cultural tourism is a growing market, and is contributing to 37% of world travel and roughly growing by 15% per year. However large influxes of people may have serious implications on the local population and the natural environment.

   Cultural tourism has influenced the rise in crime as more people are likely to be squeezed into smaller residential areas to cater for tourist resorts, increasing the population density. The crime rate is more likely to escalate as people in these areas desire to climb out and obtain the lifestyles of the tourists who appear more prosperous. The level of pollution also is likely to increase when an area becomes popular to travel to, for example, tourists are more likely to hire cars, when possible, and so more fumes and toxic gases are being released into the atmosphere.

   Sustainable tourism is now becoming an important part of the tourism industry, it can be defined as

"Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities"

   Sustainable tourism has three main aims it needs to achieve to prevent problems such as those mentioned above:

1) Making optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

2) Respecting the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserving their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contributing to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.

3) Ensuring viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

(http://sdt.unwto.org/en/content/about-us-5)

   As well as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism is being promoted. There are many factors responsible tourism is trying to encourage:

"Providing a more enjoyable experience for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues"

And 

" culturally sensitive tourism, which encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence"

(Cape Town Declaration, 2002).

Cultural Tourism

   Culture is a way of differentiating one place from another and the Tourism industry has grown in many areas because of their cultural heritage. Cultural tourism can bring additional income, increase employment. Tourism can be one of the elements how to increase rural development.

   Cultural tourism offers opportunities for improving local infrastructure and a better life for local people as well as the tourists who come to the area. Cultural tourism can attract people and make interest, stimulating new ideas and encourage local people to integrate and acknowledge other customs, for example local people can sell local produce for tourists.

   Case studies are used in order for the pupils to relate what they are learning about to a specific area or country. China is a good case study as it is well recognised for its cultural heritage (Fung Mei and Sarah Lei, 2008). Cultural heritage may consist of built heritage, living heritage and natural heritage. Built heritage may include sites such as the Great Wall of China and the Guandi Temple. Living heritage may include art forms and ways of life as well as dance and music. Natural heritage are areas of the land that are of interest or beauty, they may even include areas such as the Wolong Panda Reserve.

Mei, F., Lei, S, 2008, Culture as a Major Determinant in Tourism Development of China, Current Issues of Tourism Research in China. Vol 11, pp. 492-513.

Cultural Differences

Farming System, Types And Decisions And Distribution Ap from ajp

   In the last post, I defined Cultural Geography and listed the components which made the topic up. Agriculture is a form of cultural geography as populations around the world farm differently depending on the climate, land available, machinery and access to food/fodder and water.

   The eight different types of farming include; pastoral, subsistence, arable, commercial, intensive, extensive, nomadic and sedentary; which reflect different ways of life.
 
   Slide shows are often used in teaching because it enables teachers to highlight the most important points. Pictures and diagrams can be added to reinforce these points and make them easier to understand and remember.

Cultural Geography

   Culture can be defined as the total way of life that characterises a group of people. There are literally thousands of cultures on Earth today and each contributes to global diversity.  

   Culture consists of several elements that can vary from one culture group to the next, these include: Religion, Language, Architecture, Cuisine, Technology, Music and Dance, Sports, Medicine, Dress, Gender roles, Law, Education, Government, Agriculture, Economy and Sport.

   Cultural communities may also have different ways of; grooming, values, work ethic, etiquette, courtship, recreation and gestures. 

Charles A. Heatwole, Ph.D. Department of Geography, Hunter College Culture: A Geographical Perspective. Found at:  http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/grade3/geograph.html