Asserts that maps and map study are essential to understand history and develop historical perspective. Presents a learning activity using maps to illustrate the importance of geography in U.S. history. Includes four maps and recommended teaching procedures. (CFR)

Presents a classroom lesson in which students interpret historical cause and effect through the analysis of U.S. census data. Recommends the use of local historical census data to help students learn about their community's experience. Includes a map and charts of census data. (CFR)

Describes a college level course in which computer mapping is incorporated into the geography curriculum. Discusses problems associated with using commercial mapping software in the general geography classroom. Concludes that students have reduced computer anxiety and a better understanding of geographic concepts as a result of the computer…

Examines the spatial implications of farm lot shape. Specifically discusses three aspects of farmstead location: the location of the house, the location of the barn, and the distance and direction relationships between the barn and the house. Explores the role of farm lot shape within the farm survey system. (MJP)

Sacred and cultural geography is a universal feature of indigenous religious practices across Native North America. However, in a growing number of cases, conflicts have developed between Native North American religious practitioners and land-managing federal agencies. The contentious situations often come down to Indian peoples struggling to…

The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of return migration experiences and gain knowledge from rural residents who have left to obtain a college education and start careers in non-rural areas, and who then returned to their rural hometowns with the social and economic benefits of a college education, and other valuable resources. This…

The implementation of a computer game for learning about geography by primary school students is the focus of this article. Researchers designed and developed a three-dimensional educational computer game. Twenty four students in fourth and fifth grades in a private school in Ankara, Turkey learnt about world continents and countries through this…

Many universities with a strong research tradition have courses or modules examining the tradition's philosophies and methodologies to prepare their students to undertake research programmes. Recently, however, authors have called for wider debate concerning how these courses are taught and this paper aims to make a contribution to this debate.…

Prior research documents the almost universal preference for schools that are "convenient." Drawing on longitudinal interview data gathered from 36 urban parents, I argue parents' preference for "convenient" schools is more complex than previously understood. Conceptions of geography used by policy makers do not adequately capture the ways in…

A family-oriented geography field course about the southwestern United States was conducted in 1978 by a community college in Michigan (Delta College). Course activities took place in Colorado. The major purpose of the field experience was to offer learning experiences to family groups rather than to individual students. For purposes of the field…

A social studies unit and student workbook explore the historical geography of the area of Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia. The unit deals with sequent occupance, a type of historical geography in which students study the same area, the changes in culture, and the changing land use in the area during certain time periods. For each period,…

Observations of geography instruction in two high schools in London and research at the University of London Institute of Education provide the basis for an overview of pre-college geography instruction in Britain. Because British secondary schools concentrate more on universal education, they are developing a curriculum which is similar to the…

This report deals with the importance of water to life. The physical characteristics of water, its distribution, and a number of current water-related problems are examined. The issue of water management is discussed, along with the ways water is made available for our many uses in life. The introductory essay, "Water in the Global…

These reports and lesson plans were developed by teachers and coordinators who traveled to Malaysia during the summer of 1995 as part of the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program. Sections of the report include: (1) "Gender and Economics: Malaysia" (Mary C. Furlong); (2) "Malaysia: An Integrated,…

This document summarizes the results of a national survey that tested 4th, 8th, and 12th graders' ability to analyze geographic data in a variety of formats; explain complex geographic phenomena and processes; and show knowledge of relationships between human and geographic events. The survey tested three content dimensions: space and place,…