Teaching Asian Geographies: Overcoming Pedagogical Barriers Understanding geography, especially physical geography, is not easy for me. A deceased relative once described this ineptness as “not having even a bump of locality.” This handicap notwithstanding, my advocacy for geographic literacy in general, and geographic understanding of Asia in particular, as essential foundations of liberal and international education becomes stronger each year. Despite enormous digital advances in pedagogy, the apparent persistence of widespread geographic illiteracy demands effective, content-rich, and innovative instruction, as well as careful reflection, and high expectations of students. Hopefully, the following entries from the EAA archives assist readers interested in improving both student and one’s own levels of geographic literacy. In “The Selden Map and the Archipelagos of East and Southeast Asia,” (volume 19, number 2, fall 2014) historian Robert Batchelor uses one of the earliest (seventeenth century) Chinese maps made by merchants to expand readers’ knowledge of the regional and international scope of traders’ maritime world. The author also created a simulation titled “Fujian Trader” suitable for middle school, high school, and undergraduate classes that includes digital video resources. Information about the game is available online and included in the article. Secondary school instructor Tanya Roth, in “Teaching East Asia with GIS” (volume 23, number 3, winter 2018) uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) digital interactive maps to teach about East Asia-related topics at the high school level, ranging from the two Koreas to the “Black Death.” History instructor Patrick Grant and geographer David Nemeth in, respectively, “Geography’s Importance to Japan’s History” and “Geographic Gateways to Seeing and Understanding Korea” (volume 3, number 1, spring 1998) skillfully utilize geography in innovative ways to assist students to better understand key ideas in Japanese and Korean history. Note that both articles were published in spring 1998 but are for the most part (if not entirely) just as relevant for students as when they were published.

Any reader who doubts the historical international importance of the Indian Ocean should read Michael Vann’s article  “When the World Came to Southeast Asia: Malacca and the Global Economy” (volume 19, number 2, fall 2014). Although Malacca has receded in importance, the Indian Ocean, because of its geopolitical and economic significance, still has a major global impact today. Over eighteen years after publishing the geography-related article already referenced, Patrick Grant continued his exemplary record of using geography to teach, in this case an important contemporary international problem, in  “The Small Islands Debate: Exploring Critical Controversies in Maritime East Asia” (volume 23, number 3, winter 2018) by introducing students to rich introductory content and innovative pedagogy for Asia maritime controversies that simply cannot be understood without geographic literacy. Other Teaching Resources:  AFE's “East Asia in Geographic Perspective” The Columbia University website Asia for Educators (AFE) includes a compact, but easily accessible page titled “East Asia in Geographic Perspective” that features a variety of useful teaching resources. “The Pre-AP” title may be a bit confusing, but readers should find it particularly useful for general middle and high school classes. Undergraduate instructors are cautioned not to underestimate useful pedagogical materials that are almost surely applicable to most survey level undergraduate courses