Teaching regionally focused introductory undergraduate courses can be challenging when students do not have similar levels of formal geography experience. One way to offset this problem is to introduce core geographical concepts as a framework to help refocus attention on the myriad spatial dynamics at work in a region. This article explores how…

While biosensing is becoming a popular tool among urban geographers to address the emotional experience of the urban environment, it is also posing significant challenges, as its application demands expertise on technology and human physiology that is not part of regular curricula in geography courses. Despite this, there is little exploration of…

This paper reflects on the classroom use of the "Star Trek" American science fiction television franchise to teach critical and emotional geographies to undergraduates specializing in science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM). Both science fiction and STEM education are ambivalent and contradictory scenes of social…

Blank paper maps are often used to assess student location knowledge. A total of 502 students enrolled in 12 undergraduate World Geography classes between 2016 and 2022 were initially asked to find some of the following countries on a blank world map: Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Mexico,…

To improve climate education in an introductory weather and climate course, an active-learning lab was developed around a climate decision support system. The Climate Analysis and Visualization for the Assessment of Species Status (CAnVAS) tool allows individuals to view various climate variables and select a particular location and species to…

Measurement is significant in geospatial thinking research. This study evaluated the geospatial thinking of pre-service geography teachers through an orienteering design tasks and subjective evaluation methods. Moreover, it analyzed their level of geospatial thinking, difficulty of evaluation indicators and rater severity with the Many-Faceted…

While studies show the value of "playing" games for exploring complex geographical concepts, much less research considers the value of game "construction." Here we present the rationale, methodology and pedagogical affordances of an "intergenerational climate change game" creation assignment that formed part of a 2nd…

Information design is the theory and practice of presenting information through the pairing of graphic and verbal content. It is important in the sciences because of the centrality of data visualization in research and teaching. This paper seeks to build the case for the inclusion of information design within both the Geography and university- or…

This article describes an exercise for a physical laboratory experiment designed to enable physical geography students to practice transferable quantitative skills through inquiry-based learning. The exercise is a deliberately simplified physical model of storm-driven coastal overwash typical of low-lying coastal barrier systems. The experiment…

Alternative grading schemes are gaining in popularity in higher education. Review of the literature reveals little in the way of geography-specific examples involving these grading mechanisms. Specifications Based Grading offers many purported benefits from time savings to an increased emphasis on learning. This paper explores the use of…

Field study and field courses are integral to the discipline of geography. While there are many forms that a field course might take, in this paper we draw on two university-level field courses in the U.S. Southwest to propose a road trip pedagogy for field study. We reflect on the particular resonance of the road trip in the American West and how…

There is a growing body of evidence that Open Educational Resources (OERs) are a viable alternative to traditional "for cost" teaching materials. This paper provides a reflection on the process and outcomes of developing and implementing OER within an introduction Human-Environment Geography lecture-laboratory course. Evidence is further…

Fieldwork is often cited as one of the most important and effective parts of geography education, despite increasing scrutiny over its environmental and financial cost. As a result, it is imperative that any overseas fieldwork is as impactful as possible, enabling deep experiential learning. Here, we investigate the success of a joint field trip…

The global climate emergency raises important questions for the future of fieldtrips in geographical education. Building on a longer history of these debates in the discipline, geography educators are paying increased attention to the environmental impacts of field-based education, as demonstrated by the Royal Geographical Society-Institute of…

The Spatial-Based Learning (SBL) model, developed in 2018, has evolved through the application of various spatial techniques. Its 21st-century emergence prompts an analysis of its impact on critical thinking. This study aims to examine SBL's impact using Quantum Geographic Information System (SBL-QGIS) on undergraduates' critical thinking.…