Omani students’ definitions of geography

Abstract

Very few studies have been conducted on students’ definitions of geography. The purpose of the present study was to add to the existing literature by exploring Omani students’ definitions of geography. Participants were 477 students of grade 6 (ages 11–12) and grade 10 (ages 15–16) in one school district in Oman. They had been taught geography since grade 3 as part of social studies curriculum, but not as an independent subject. Of the 477 students, 46 (9.6%) students of both grades were uncertain about the meaning of geography. A total of 431 students referred to a wide range of geographical components in their definitions. For half of the students in the sample, geography was associated with the study of weather/climate, the environment and environmental issues, and physical processes that shape the Earth's crust (e.g. earthquakes, volcanoes, and erosion). With the exception of map skills, there were limited references to field work or other geographical skills. The findings also demonstrated that there were limited references to the study of the local area and key human geography themes. Evidence indicated that many students associated geography with topics covered in school curriculum. The study provided important implications for geographic education in Oman.