U.S. ethnic geography is an increasingly important focus of study due to cultural diversity and continued growth of the United States. Geographers are carefully studying the spatial aspects of present U.S. ethnic groups. This collection of essays addresses the important need for creating innovative approaches in teaching U.S. ethnic geography in…

The world is made up of over 185 nation-states. This paper offers advice for geography teachers and students on how to focus their study of some nations in terms of their national images. The goals for studying national images are (1) to understand how national images are constructed and influence thought and behavior; (2) to test the linkage…

This text is a combination of a student training manual and a teacher's guide. The student manual gives background information, activities, and student worksheets for map work. Chapter titles include: (1) "Our Country"; (2) "World Regions"; (3) "United States Regions"; (4) "Continental Topics"; (5) "Urban Topics"; (6) "Rural Cultures"; (7) "World…

Description of a course involving students in the Michigan state political process. The students investigated a legislative bill intended to reduce throwaway drink containers by summarizing relevant literature, conducting consumer surveys, and performing self-initiated projects. Journal available from Faculty of Modern Studies, Oxford Polytechnic,…

Recounts criticisms of regional geography and points out three reasons for retaining it: growth of regional science, area studies, and regional planning. Evaluates Southern Italy as an example of the uses of regional analyses. For journal availability, see SO 507 291. (Author/CK)

An example is provided of an evaluation in which the formulation of explicit decision rules was a central activity. The case for and against the use of decision rules in program evaluation is considered, and the appropriate context identified. Implications for the rights of decision makers are addressed. (Author/CTM)

Defines raster technology in its relationship to geographic information systems and notes that it is typically used with the application of remote sensing techniques and scanning devices. Discusses the role of spreadsheets in a raster model, and describes a general approach based on spreadsheets. Includes six computer-generated illustrations. (MJP)

Briefly reviews the development of the diversity movement and the arguments for and against multicultural education. Follows this with a discussion of the representation of minorities within geographic institutions in the United States. Addresses such issues as what constitutes an equitable curriculum and how do people define educational quality.…

Presents a case study examining the development and implementation of two recent curricular innovations at Michigan State University: the Integrative Studies Program and the Ethnic Studies Specialization. The programs consist of interdisciplinary courses incorporating instruction from geography, anthropology, sociology, and other areas. Discusses…

Outlines some of the pedagogical and organizational concerns encountered in transforming a traditional college-level U.S. geography course into a course emphasizing pluralism and diversity issues. Identifies the five principal components of pluralism as ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and social class. Discusses incorporating these components…

Describes the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in elementary and secondary school classrooms to analyze neighborhoods, cities, and regions. Discusses GIS software, databases, graphing data, and spatial analysis, and includes an example of a project for secondary school students investigating the local economy for summer jobs. (LRW)

Examined how varying levels of geographic expertise facilitated reasoning with maps as representations of the earth's surface. Found that geography experts performed significantly better than novices and preservice teachers, and experts' performance was differentiated by the reasoning in which they engaged. Explored implications for understanding…

Illustrates a method to introduce students to foreign countries and cultures by having students choose a country in which they would like to live and give a class presentation about it. As a result, students become resource persons, research skills are refined, cross-cultural information reservoir is created, and history and geography become real.…

Analyzes John Wesley Powell's nineteenth-century survey of the U.S. intermountain west, and his subsequent report on the natural resources of the area based on both physical characteristics and cultural considerations. Discusses reactions to Powell's report. Maintains that the report is a useful classroom tool for illustrating the themes of…

Defines basic typographic terminology and offers two classroom projects using microcomputers to create and use type. Discusses typeface, type families, type style, type size, and type font. Examples of student projects that include the creation of bulletin board displays and page-size maps. (KO)