Discusses paradigms of modern geography (quantification, Marxism, behavioralism, and systems theory) as a guide for integrating concepts in teaching geography at the university level. (KC)

Explores nature and processes of learning from coursework in national examinations undertaken by 16-year-old students, using qualitative approaches. Finds that, while the practice of underpinning coursework could support deeper, more independent learning, pressures of achieving good grades mediated against all pupils reaching an optimum level of…

Discusses the proper use of themes in teaching. Examines the five themes of geography: location, place, interaction, movement, and region. Presents counterpoints demonstrating the value of analogies as a less direct way of introducing a theme. Argues that teaching is an art and a craft requiring diplomacy and creativity. (DK)

Discusses ways in which planetary comparisons can be used to help give students a new perspective on earth's natural environment. Describes tectonism, volcanism, gradation, cratering, wind, and temperature as they are affected by different planetary conditions. Includes a chart comparing average surface temperatures and greenhouse warming of three…

Suggests applications of the National Geography Standards to integrated elementary social-studies instruction. Explains why geographic education is essential, why standards are necessary, the six essential elements of the standards, and applications of each of these elements for social studies lessons. (DSK)

It is important to learn geography, yet most Americans leave school functionally illiterate in geography. Geography is fundamental to student maturation, the process of true education, and it is a springboard to every other science and humanities subject. Knowledge of maps and geographical information is crucial to the examination of economic,…

Replicated a 1991 study examining college students' global geographical knowledge as measured by their ability to locate nations of the world from outlines appearing on six regional maps. Found some improvement, but the average student could only locate about one-sixth of world countries. Male students and international travelers performed better;…

This paper presents an argument for introducing location-allocation theory to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in a simplified continuous space environment that is relatively free of the distorting effects of networks and other aspects of more differentiated "real-world" environments. This approach can enable instructors to…

Geographic ethics are profoundly important if students are expected to be stewards of the earth and responsible citizens whose decisions about the environment will affect our planet's future. The proposed framework, founded in geography but applicable to other subject areas, guides students to moral decisions for the well-being of the planet and…

Active learning strategies include a variety of methods, such as inquiry and discovery, in which students are actively engaged in the learning process. This article describes several strategies that can be used in secondary-or college-level world geography courses. The goal of these activities is to foster development of a spatial perspective in…

Generalizations are important tools in learning about complex phenomena such as wetlands. Geography teachers at all levels use generalizations in order to help students grasp the discipline's major themes. One of geography's major themes is that of place, and that includes uniqueness of place. Accordingly, it is important to recognize the…

"The Geography Teacher" provides hands-on reference and educative material for K-12 Geography teachers. The journal also pioneers innovative ideas for contemporary teaching methods, including lesson plans. This issue contains the following: (1) Ask Dr. de Blij (Dr. Harm de Blij); (2) Around the World in Eighty Days (Donald P. Albert);…

This study describes and analyses the conceptions of primary teachers and secondary teachers of Physics-Chemistry, Biology-Geology and Geography-History with respect to the concept of heritage and its teaching and learning, taking the model of teacher-researcher as the theoretical referent. The data collection instrument used was a questionnaire,…

Fieldwork is central to teaching and learning in geography. The assessment of student learning from fieldwork can, however, be problematic. This paper evaluates the use of reflective diaries for assessing level three undergraduate geography fieldwork. It is concluded that reflective fieldwork diaries offer an innovative and flexible approach to…

This paper encourages readers to experiment with inquiry-based learning (IBL) in their courses in the interest of identifying more diverse styles of instruction, and developing a wider understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology. The aims of the paper are to unpack the meanings of IBL, describe some uses of IBL in…