Geopolitics in School Education: Assessing the Perception of Key Aspects by Secondary School Students in Kazakhstan

Abstract

This article analyzes the section “Geopolitics” in school geography curricula in Kazakhstan and assesses the level of knowledge and perceptions of secondary school students on this topic. To collect data to determine the degree of assimilation of geopolitical concepts, a survey method was used. The authors set the goal of analyzing the content of educational materials, developing a survey instrument, conducting a survey and analyzing the data obtained to identify the level of knowledge and awareness of students. The study found that most students demonstrate a good understanding of geopolitical concepts and are able to analyze world problems by relating them to geopolitical factors. However, some students have an incomplete understanding of geopolitics, which may be due to lack of clarity in teaching materials or lack of interest. Overall, the authors conclude that the study of geopolitics in the school curriculum contributes to the formation of a deep understanding of global issues and analytical skills of students, but requires additional effort to improve the effectiveness of learning. In addition, the study found that geopolitics receives full coverage in the curriculum for grades 10-11. However, the main question remains how students perceive this concept upon completion of studying the section, how much they understand the essence of world problems and assess current global trends in the field of geopolitics of the world and Kazakhstan.