Maps have been used for centuries to depict the diverse facets of our environment. Thematic maps depict a specific theme and help in revealing geospatial patterns and relations. The study and practice of map making has led to established cartographic design rules. Ever increasing availability of high-quality geospatial data coupled with…

In times of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers on all levels have had to adapt to an online or hybrid teaching environment. People in geography, a discipline that traditionally values field trips to connect theory to practice, have had to find online alternatives for educational activities that normally would have taken place in the field. This has…

Maps are an increasingly used source of information and it is therefore essential to develop map skills in students. A fundamental factor affecting the choice of map skills and the way they are developed is the teacher and his/her concept of map work. Based on the results of a survey and semi-structured interviews among Czech teachers, this study…

Ever want to take a quick, deep-dive into a map found in students' textbooks? Ever want to use a web-based map to bring that static, print map to life? Maybe the map would be better with interactive or near real-time data. This article discusses the new Earth Science GeoInquiries! Earth Science GeoInquiries from Esri are instructional resources…

Discusses software that educators can use to teach about distortions associated with alternative map projections. Examines the Projection, MicroCAM, World, and Atlas-GIS software programs. Suggests using the software in either introductory or more advanced courses dealing with map design or thematic cartography. Explains how to obtain the…

This booklet is both an executive summary of "Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994" and an introduction to geography as an essential part of every child's education, and as an integral part of the lives of all U.S. citizens. The publication is illustrated on every page with photographs, paintings, graphs, and maps. It…

Introductory courses in Geographic Information Systems and cartography cover the fundamentals of map design. Students are given guidelines for producing a good map, but visual demonstrations are much more impressive. ArcView was used to produce illustrations of bad mapping practices and placed in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate…

Every map depicts both objective realities and subjective elements and is a rich resource for studying the geographic knowledge and values of mapmakers and their societies. This paper considers cognitive mapping research and describes how world maps reflect world images. Cognitive mapping is defined as a process that allows people to acquire,…

Models the creation of a complex mental geographic map to illustrate the geography teacher's instructional task to students. Cites 12 elements of a well-organized geography course that emphasizes spatial analysis, synthesis, and explanation of features and patterns that give geography its uniqueness among social science disciplines. (TRS)

Designates steps to be taken at all stages of the map production process from planning to printing. Pointers include making sure that the map is essential rather than purely decorative; considering the audience for whom the map is intended; determining the primary message that the map is intended to convey; and considering the dimensions of the…

Home, school, neighborhood, and community studies offer unique opportunities for teachers to initiate youngsters into observing and recording phenomena. Because fuel costs make trips increasingly expensive, an alternative method is suggested for observing and recording data about the local community. (Author/IS)

This paper advocates the use of cognitive maps by researchers in comparative education. Cognitive maps are defined as "visual imageries depicting on the two dimensional surface of a screen or paper the researcher's perceived application, allocation, or appropriation of social space by social groups at a given time and in a given place." The use of…

Examines potential uses of mental maps in the classroom by reviewing research efforts, providing an example of the differences between mental maps of two student groups, and suggesting how to use mental maps in the geography curriculum. Mental mapping (or cognitive mapping) refers to individuals' processes of collecting, storing, and retrieving…

This paper describes the development of the hardware-software configuration required for a computerized digitizer-graphics system for encoding locational information at the University of Iowa's Department of Geography and Institute of Urban and Regional Research. Topics covered include system requirements, data structure, hardware configurations,…

Describes a cartographic exercise to help students in an introductory geography course on the college level understand the geography of world affairs. The activity involved students in creating a diagrammatic map commensurate with amount of news magazine coverage of various foreign countries. (Author/DB)