An

Introductory Note to the Student

Introduction
This short lesson introduces the learners to the subject “The Contemporary
World”. The subject being part of the new curriculum, there is the need to
explain the relevance of the course. Also, the students will be apprised of the
approach used in the textbook for the class.

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Understand and explain why we need to study the world; and
2. Explain the importance of making sense of what is “out there”, and not just
know what is “out there”.

Lesson Proper
In this lesson, the relevance of the course will be explained. Specifically, the
question “Why study the world?” will be thoroughly discussed.

Read pages ix-xii of the reading material, “An Introductory Note to the Students”
covering the topics “The Relevance of this Course” and “This Book’s Approach”.

Summary
Studying the outside world is a cure to parochialism, which is an outlook that is
limited to one’s immediate community only. Also, it is important to study the
world because it can teach us more about ourselves. Finally, we need to study the
world because we will be interacting with it.