Maps are fundamental in geographic explanation and education, but as map-making becomes firmly entrenched in the GIS lab, it becomes harder for students to imagine how they can make maps for their papers. Students need to illustrate papers with maps: among other things, maps provide clarity, links to real places, and insights into patterns and…

This paper outlines a case study conducted in two public schools in the greater Toronto area as a complementary component of a multisite experimental study exploring educational game development as a learning activity for motivating and engaging students in curriculum-related literacy activities (Owston et al., 2007). Researchers studied children…

Literature on student perception is evaluated in relation to the evolution of perception of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science (GEES) through the school years. Four pervasive themes are identified. An "expectation framework" generated by family and social class exerts a dominant influence on student choice, yet rarely is it…

This paper presents the results of a simulation exercise designed to explore and understand the implications of trying to survive in a marginal and poverty-stricken African community. The aim of the simulation was to create an approximation of a community involved in an income-generating project, akin to a Public Works Programme. This project…

This paper discusses the background, experience and outcomes of an explicitly feminist field trip to Gunther von Hagen's "Body Worlds 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies". The cultural landscape of this exhibition materialized gendered geographies very powerfully, facilitating observation and analysis of embodied and emotional,…

This commentary reflects on the key themes and goals of this symposium. It contextualizes the relationship between participatory action research (PAR) and teaching in the increasingly popular field of critical action-oriented geography. It considers a number of benefits to student learning from engagement with PAR, drawing on the papers in the…

Second Life is increasingly being used as a venue for education, especially for delivery of online instruction where social presence and community building are essential components. Despite its robust 3-D modeling tools and powerful scripting language, many educational uses of Second Life are limited to passive forms of content delivery that often…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate student learning outcomes and satisfaction that involves concepts drawn from the services marketing and assessment literatures; second, to illustrate the utility of the model as implemented in an academic department (geography)…

As part of a program to improve college and university training geography, this book contains four course outlines developed by members of the Commission on College Geography of the Association of American Geographers. "A Proposal for a New Geography Course for Liberal Education: Introduction to Geographic Behavior" is an introductory course to…

The geography education literature touts the World Wide Web (Web) as a revolutionary educational tool, yet most accounts ignore its uses for public communication and creative expression. This article argues that students can be producers of content that is of service to local audiences. Drawing inspiration from the community networking movement,…

The author describes methods for using picture books to teach geography in middle school. Introducing students to geographic regions through narrative and visual text can provide background information about the area, stimulate student interest in the culture, and facilitate student comprehension of geographic concepts. The author provides…

Described is a unit of study entitled "Where Would I Like To Live?" that develops student insight into geographic relationships among the physical, cultural, and imaginary worlds. It is intended for use in an eighth-grade world geography course. (RM)

This autobiographical account provides a historical map of landmarks in the author's personal and professional life that led him to his present understanding of public anthropology as public pedagogy and vice versa. He indicates that his experiences led him to study sociocultural anthropology to investigate learning from experience, a foundational…

Many geography and technology educators have been attracted to geospatial technologies because of the potential to help students develop and demonstrate spatial and higher order thinking skills, only to be frustrated with implementation at the school level. Even when teachers have overcome the technical hurdles of hardware, software, and data,…

In recent years, professional practice has been an issue of concern in higher education. The purpose of this study is to design students' projects to facilitate collaborative learning in authentic contexts. Ten students majoring in Management Information Systems conducted fieldwork with spatial technologies to collect data and provided information…