My research focuses primarily on geographical education and social studies education, with particular attention to how learners interpret geographical phenomena through key geographical concepts and ways of thinking.
A central theme of my work has been the concept of geographical scale. I have examined how shifting between local, regional, national, and global scales can enable learners to understand geographical phenomena dynamically and relationally rather than as isolated facts. This work has led to the development of multi-scale approaches to geography lessons and regional studies.
More recently, I have been exploring how geographical concepts function as lenses for interpreting the world. My research examines the relationships among geographical concepts, geographical perspectives and ways of thinking, and the competencies that geography education seeks to develop.
Other major strands of my research include project-based learning (PjBL), fieldwork and regional studies, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), disaster preparedness education, citizenship education, and teacher education.
Geography Education
Social Studies Education
Geographical Concepts
Geographical Scale and Multi-scale Learning
Geographical Perspectives and Ways of Thinking
Regional Studies and Fieldwork
Project-Based Learning (PjBL)
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Disaster Preparedness Education
Citizenship Education
Teacher Education
Where an official English title is available, that title is used. For Japanese-language publications without an official English title, an English translation is provided for reference.
Yoshimizu, H. (Ed.).
PBL-Based Unit Design for Elementary School Social Studies: Grade 5.
Meiji Tosho, 2025.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H.
Lesson Design Based on Geographical Lenses.
Meiji Tosho, 2023.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H. (Ed.).
Designing Junior High School Geography Lessons through PBL-Based Social Studies Units.
Meiji Tosho, 2023.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H. (Ed.).
Lesson Plans for Junior High School Geography Based on Criterion Referenced Assessment.
Meiji Tosho, 2022.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H. (Ed.).
Instructional Designs and Practical Models for Teaching Geography in Junior High School.
Meiji Tosho, 2018.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H.
“Scale as a Perspective and Way of Thinking in Social Studies.”
In Exploring the Possibilities of Research in Subject Education, pp. 85–94. Kazama Shobo, 2017.
[Japanese]
Yoshimizu, H.
“Trends in Japanese Geography Education Research in Recent Years.”
In Ida et al. (Eds.), Geography Education in Japan, pp. 175–183. Springer, 2015.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Meaningful Relationships and Map Overlay: Interpreting the Reasons for Spatial Distributions through Overlaying Maps.”
In Designing Junior High School Geography Lessons to Develop Problem-Solving Competencies, pp. 178–188. Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan, 2004.
[Japanese]
Ogura, T., Yamauchi, H., Hamano, K., Yoshimizu, H., & Oguchi, T.
“The Current State of Geography-Related Subject Curriculum in Teacher Training Programs at Japanese National Universities and Anticipated Educational Support.”
E-journal GEO, 20(2), 373–382, 2025.
https://doi.org/10.4157/ejgeo.20.373
Miyazono et al., including Yoshimizu, H.
“Developing and Implementing Digital Learning Materials and Assessment Tools for Elementary Social Studies through University-Municipality Collaboration: A Regional Study Centered on the Tojogawa River Irrigation Canal.”
Hyogo Geography, 70, 17–34, 2025.
Moriyama et al., including Yoshimizu, H.
“Development of Curriculum Standards of Teacher Training Program for Promoting Continuing Professional Development at Hyogo University of Teacher Education.”
Hyogo University of Teacher Education Journal, 64, 37–49, 2024.
Yoshimizu, H., & Hamano, K.
“Disaster Preparedness Education Required for the Compulsory High School Subject ‘Geography’: Based on the Discussion on the Disaster Preparedness Education in the Revision of Courses of Study.”
The Journal of School Education, 35, 1–14, 2022.
Nakayama, T., Gyoju, H., Tanaka, N., & Yoshimizu, H.
“Geography Lessons Focusing on the Structural Transformation of Relevance: A Strategy for Teaching Views and Ways of Thinking Based on Children's Earnestness.”
Annual Report of the Faculty of Education, Gifu University: Humanities and Social Sciences, 70(2), 21–30, 2022.
Yoshimizu, H., Sato, K., Shibutani, T., & Sogawa, T.
“Trends and Prospects for Research on Community Design Learning in Social Studies.”
Hyogo University of Teacher Education Journal, 55, 1–10, 2019.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Trends and Prospects for Research on Secondary School Geography Education.”
Journal of Research on Education in the Social Studies Department, 30, 27–34, 2018.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Lesson Plan for Teaching Community Related Issues in High School Geography Classes for Improving Disaster Prevention Governance Skills.”
Journal of Research on Education in the Social Studies Department, 25, 1–10, 2013.
Yoshimizu, H.
“How to Treat a Risk Society in Secondary Geographical Education: A Case of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design of Living Space.”
The Journal of Social Studies, 119, 58–67, 2013.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Multi-Scale Geography Lesson Using the Concept of Geographical Scale: For Better Dynamic Geography Lesson.”
The Journal of Social Studies Education, 2, 25–33, 2013.
Toida, K., Yoshimizu, H., & Iwamoto, H.
“Trends in Japan's Geography Education: Focusing on the 1980s to the Present.”
Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 64(6), 521–543, 2012.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Development of Multi-scale Geography Lessons Based on the Concept of Geographical Scale: The Unit ‘Survey of Home Regional Area at Haruno Town, Kochi City’ in Junior High.”
The New Geography, 59(1), 1–15, 2011.
https://doi.org/10.5996/newgeo.59.1_1
Yoshimizu, H.
“Aiming at the Creation of New Paradigm and Practices for Geographical Education in Changing Society: Viewpoints and Methods for Understanding a Region and a Community.”
Journal of Research on Education in the Social Studies Department, 20, 229–238, 2008.
Yoshimizu, H.
“The Design of Lessons about Social Changes and Social Issues Caused by Cultural Friction: A Proposal for a Lesson in Cultural Geography in Senior High Schools.”
Journal of Japanese Educational Research Association for the Social Studies, 63, 1–10, 2005.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Problem-Finding Structure of ‘Location and Distribution’ in Geographical Education: From the Analysis of the Textbooks Used in Japan and UK.”
The New Geography, 49(4), 18–31, 2002.
Yoshimizu, H.
“The Design of Geography Lesson in Social Studies to Develop the Problem-Finding Ability: Development of Teaching Materials for the Unit ‘Industrial Area in Japan’.”
Journal of Japanese Educational Research Association for the Social Studies, 57, 61–70, 2002.
Ogura, T., Kobayashi, Y., Hamano, K., & Yoshimizu, H.
“Experiential Training in STEAM Education through the Acquisition of Three-Dimensional Geographic Information.”
JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2026, May 25, 2026.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Some Issues and Prospects of Regional Studies in Secondary Geography Education.”
Special Invited Presentation, Annual Meeting of the Human Geographical Society of Japan, November 15, 2025.
Yoshimizu, H.
“Where Is Japanese Secondary Geography Education Headed? And Its Relationship with the New, Compulsory, High School Geography Course.”
Keynote Speech, The 25th International Geographical Conference of Taiwan, National Taiwan Normal University, May 22, 2021.
Research on Geography Education as Citizenship Education to Foster Public Spatial Design and Management Skills
2017–2021
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
Theoretical and Practical Construction of Regional Geography Learning from the Viewpoints of Inter-regional and Scale-to-scale Comparison and Interrelationship
2014–2018
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
Development of Learning Questions and Curriculum Matched to the Geographical Scale for Regional Geography Study
2009–2013
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
Problem Finding and Curriculum Development of Landschaft in Geographical Education
2006–2009
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
Problem-Finding Logic in British Geography Textbooks and Its Application to Teaching Practice
2001–2002
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
A Practical Study of Multimedia-Based Presentations in Regional Geography
1998–1999
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
A Practical Study of the Use of Debate in Geography Education
1995–1996
Principal Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
2024–2026
Research on the Nature and Desirable Roles of School Textbooks
Hyogo University of Teacher Education
Principal Investigator: Toshio Yamauchi
Collaborative Research with the Textbook Research Center
Research and Practice on the Use of Educational Materials for Passing the Tojogawa River Irrigation System on to Future Generations
Kita-Harima District Administration Office, Hyogo Prefecture
Co-Investigator
Development of Teaching Materials for Passing the Tojogawa River Irrigation System on to Future Generations
Kita-Harima District Administration Office, Hyogo Prefecture
Principal Investigator
Development of a Global Integrated Curriculum of Social Science and Science for a Sustainable Society
Principal Investigator: Yoshiyasu Ida
Co-Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
Education for Sustainable Development in the Curriculum: Geography, History, Civics, and Social Studies
Principal Investigator: Yoshiyasu Ida
Co-Investigator: Hiroya Yoshimizu
A complete list of books, academic articles, professional publications, authorized textbooks, book reviews, conference presentations, invited lectures, and research grants is available on the Japanese version of this website and in the Kwansei Gakuin University Researcher Database.
Most of my publications are written in Japanese. Official English titles are used whenever they are available in the original publication or bibliographic record; otherwise, English translations are provided for reference.