The recent round of curriculum reform in China has proposed the educational goal of developing key competencies. This study examined how key competencies are integrated into geography textbooks for middle schools through pre-designed activities. The results showed that the textbooks emphasized the regional awareness competency. The activities in…

This article explores the pedagogical implications of students' embodied and emotional reactions to difficult course material inside and outside of the classroom. Scholarship on teaching typically focuses on dimensions of students' cognitive engagement and development, yet geographical coursework often involves emotionally fraught topics:…

Field experiences continue to be a hallmark of a geographer's education and, for that matter, reeducation, as we all strive to remain current in the real world. Academic geographers beginning their ascent towards tenure and promotion might consider augmenting their portfolios with materials emerging from field teaching and learning activities.

This article reports on a problem-based learning (PBL) fieldwork activity carried out by geography education students on the Mooi River in the North West province of South Africa. The value of doing practical fieldwork using a PBL approach in the training of geography teachers was researched by means of an interpretative multimethods approach.…

Concerns about the decreasing quality of geography education within primary schools can be linked to a decrease of time spent on geography education and, for example, to low achievement on national or school-specific tests. Learning outcomes for geography stay behind in relation to what experts believe that pupils should perform. Results indicate…

This exercise is designed to illustrate the concept of a region and, more specifically, the subconcept of regionalization by involving students in working with facts and statistics available in the "Statistical Abstract of the United States" (U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce 1971, 2001). The exercise supports the national…

This article documents regional demand for human-environment educational resources via assessment of public knowledge of the environmental crisis known as the Dust Bowl. The steadily eroding knowledge-base on the topic is discussed along with the desire for enhanced Dust Bowl educational resources. Regionally focused educational activities…

This article presents research on evaluating problem-based learning using GIS technology in a Singapore secondary school. A quasi-experimental research design was carried to test the PBL pedagogy (PBL-GIS) with an experimental group of students and compare their learning outcomes with a control group who were exposed to PBL but not GIS. The…

Greenways are prominent features of many urban landscapes and synthesize several geographic topics: human-environment interactions, urban ecosystems, and the promotion of sustainability within riverine corridors. Greenways are easily accessible and provide an opportunity for students at various grade levels to study interactions across physical…

PlacesOnLine.org is a Web portal that provides easy access to high quality Web sites that focus on places from around the world. It is intended for use by a wide range of people, including professional geographers, teachers and students at all levels, and the general public. This article explores the potential uses of PlacesOnLine as an…

Provides 2 examples of walking tours developed for primary grade children. The first example is map-based and the second is a verbal treasure hunt exercise where students follow a series of instructions to move about their school. (JDH)

Ways geography teachers may relate childhood experiences of students to geographical concepts by applying William Pattison's four traditions of geography in the examination of a children's snow fort building project are discussed. Pattison's four themes are spatial organization, area studies, human-environmental links, and earth science. (RM)

In the primary grades, maps are useful tools to help the young reader put stories into perspective. This article presents 18 quality children's books that contain maps or lessons about maps, as well as activities to use in the classroom to teach map skills. A table is included with ratings of the usability of the maps.

Airline travel provides those interested in geography with opportunities to see and photograph rural and urban scenes. Author describes circuitous routing, joint fares, and stopover techniques that maximize domestic and international air travel experiences. Defines various airline and travel agent terminology. (Author/BC)

Presents a synopsis of the regional conference of the International Geographical Union held in August 1986 in Sitges, Spain. Identifies 10 international problems in geographical education and eight emerging instructional trends. Included is information on how to order copies of the papers presented at the conference. (JDH)