NMSU GeoEducation

Transitioning to a Geographically Literate Society

Michael N. DeMers

• “Many students of geography assert that there is no subject that has done more to broaden their intellectual outlook and to deepen their appreciation of nature and life generally than has the study of geography.”

“I’m not a geographer.

Why should I care?

Here’s the problem

How about climate

change as an

example

Or just knowing where

places are

Ok it can

get worse

Still More

What About

Coastal Geography

OK The News Media

Gets it Wrong Too

OK It Isn’t Just US

And Cinema Too

Cute But It’s Not

A Laughing Matter

What Happened?

Solid Evidence

What’s Being Done?

National

Geographic

National

Council for

Geographic

Education

Association

of American

Geographers

Environmental

Systems

Research

Institute

T3G Origins

Google

The College

Board

New Mexico

Geographic

Alliance

Introducing a 4 Course GIS Curriculum For Grades 9-12

Professional Development Also Via Game-Based LMS

Summary

How Can You Help?