International Approaches to Geography Instruction Patrick Womac Clemson University.
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International Approaches to Geography Instruction
Patrick Womac
Clemson University
What is Geographic Literacy?• What it isn’t…
– Encyclopedic knowledge– Map-reading skills
• What it is…– Ability to use information about people and places to solve
problems and plan• What it requires…
– Understanding– Knowledge– Skills
A Goal of Education?
• To produce a well-informed, critical-thinking citizenry, capable of making evidence-based decisions. Democracy requires an informed electorate.
Overall Results
40 38 3834
3128 27
23 21
0
14
28
42
56
Sweden Germany Italy France Japan GreatBritain
Canada U.S. Mexico
Average # of correct answers out of a possible 56 correct
Sample: 18- to 24-year-olds
17%
83%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Afghanistan
Incorrect/don't know
Correct
Percentage of young U.S. adults correctly identifying Afghanistan on a world map
Sample: U.S. 18- to 24-year-olds
World Hotspots
Newsweek gave the US citizenship test for immigrants to people born in the US and found that only 38% could pass.
“I suggest a new regulation on war — If a majority of your country cannot find the enemy country on the map, they aren’t interested enough to justify making war against it.”
Juan Cole - http://www.juancole.com/2012/01/gods-way-of-teaching-americans-geography.html
• If you don’t know where it is, you’re not allowed to have an opinion about it. – especially about bombing it.
Or
• If you don’t know three things about a person/place/idea, then you’re not allowed to have an opinion about it.
A Theory In Progress…
Impetus & Framework
• 2006 National Geography Roper Survey
• Effects of increased geography instruction
• Personal Experience
Factors Influencing Performance
Factors that seem to influence performance:
– Level of education– Young U.S. adults who reported taking a
geography course in school performed better on the quiz.
– International travel and language skills– News-seeking behavior
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