Presents a lesson plan that enables children to identify their community as a nodal region. Includes field trips, map tracing and comparison, discussion, and observation. Emphasizes children's analysis of the effect of rail transportation on their community. Suggests using the students' community as a geographic laboratory for hands-on experience.…

Discusses geography's place in the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS). Reports that geography plays a small part in ERASMUS, although the rate of the United Kingdom's participation in ERASMUS programs is high. Describes student and teacher mobility, curriculum development, and intensive ERASMUS…

Examines, in the light of political reforms in South Africa, the prime concerns of geographers. Discusses the future of the Bantustans; questions of land redistribution, tenure systems, production levels, and support systems; spatial economic policies; land and housing; and regional relations. Argues that, to realize its potential, southern Africa…

Discusses the Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for Geography (CTICG), part of a network of 21 subject-based centers in the United Kingdom, intended to promote computer-assisted learning in higher education. Examines courseware sources and suggests developing a database of available software or a distribution service. Lists CTICG's aims in…

Suggests using an example versus nonexample format to teach geographical concepts related to landforms in the elementary grade classroom. Describes lesson plans and includes objectives, methods, and instructional strategies. Recommends using a conceptual framework rather than rote memorization. (NL)

Outlines two theories of cognitive science that are relevant for instructional design, i.e., schema theory and cognitive load theory; and describes four experiments with Australian secondary school geography students that used these theories to examine the effects of splitting attention between technical illustrations and related text. (20…

Discusses "Mascots and Meanings," a research activity that helps give students a concrete concept of some of the elements of a region or place. Provides a list of professional and college sports mascots. Identifies strategies that call upon students to identify the reasons for the choice of the particular mascots. (SG)

Presents a policy statement from the National Council for the Social Studies for the quincentenary of Columbus's first new world voyage. Recommends that teachers help students comprehend the contemporary relevance of 1492 and provide basic, accurate knowledge about Columbus's voyages, their historical setting, and unfolding effects. Suggests areas…

Junior high learning-disabled students (n=29) were taught U.S. states and capitals. Students scored higher on items taught mnemonically than on items taught traditionally, whether students were required to provide forward or backward information. Significant correlations were found between performance and reported mnemonic strategy usage.…

Ways in which to incorporate education on francophone western Africa into French second-language courses are discussed. Geography, language role, and common themes to be explored are examined, and more complex aspects of the societies, such as beliefs and customs, are also considered as they may be appropriate for inclusion. (MSE)

Presents instructions for a class project to produce a raised relief map. Reports that students will learn to interpret elevations from contour lines, interpret map symbolization, realize that the area represented is a real area, and redefine the meaning of a map scale. Includes a list of materials needed and details of construction. (DK)

Forty-six ideas for introducing culture into the second-language classroom are outlined. They include activities concerning history and geography, social values and morals, lifestyle, and behaviors. The ideas presented consist of either topics or classroom techniques for promoting reflection and discussion. (five references) (MSE)

Describes development of an enterprise education program at the University of Lancaster. Includes the development of business/enterprise awareness, acquisition of transferable personal skills useful in subsequent employment, and completion of a project in a working environment. Concludes that success of the program will depend on how it is…

Presents ideas for getting the most out of an elementary school trip to the zoo. The article offers before, during, and after lesson plans which touch on biology (the life cycle), geography (continents and regions of the world), conservation (endangered species), ecology (natural communities), and career guidance (zoo jobs). (SM)

Discusses the use of advance organizers in elementary geography instruction. Asserts that maps and globes can be used as advance organizers to improve learning about geographic locations and regions. Provides two classroom activities with accompanying data charts to illustrate the technique. (CFR)