Research in Geographic Education
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/16154
The journal, Research in Geographic Education, publishes significant research-based manuscripts and other important contributions in geographic education. As a field of research, geographic education covers a wide range of topics, including spatial cognition, perception, applications of learning theory, applications of instructional methodology, and assessment of student achievement, to name just a few. Therefore, the editors of the Journal evaluate a wide range of manuscripts reporting scholarly research and practice completed by faculty members, classroom teachers, independent scholars, and senior level graduate students. The Journal represents all segments of the research community in geographic education, including senior, mid-career, and new researchers and teachers and graduate student researchers, who are engaged in active research about learning and teaching. In order to achieve those goals, we encourage and welcome submissions of papers. We review papers within the editorial staff initially, followed by a peer review by topical specialists in geography education. The editorial staff will work with you to publish a manuscript that contributes significantly to geographic education.
Journal website: https://rge.grosvenor.txst.edu/
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Item 20/20 Vision on Implementation: Powerful Geography, Project Management, and the Scales of Educational Institutions(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2018) Larsen, Thomas BarclayIt is not enough for national and international institutions to pledge support to advance geography in education. Transformation happens among the overlapping contexts of states, provinces, counties, cities, and school districts. Large-scale efforts in American geographic education have taken for granted the complexities of institutions at overlapping scales, with special attention to place-level contexts. Powerful Geography employs an empirical approach to tailor career-based geographic knowledge to the standards and curricula that classroom teachers use. To implement this initiative, geographers must think critically and pragmatically about project management in the local and regional settings of institutions that adopt and design curricula. A critical mindset reveals that institutions have limits to their effectiveness at different scales; those limits can result in uneven management across the educational landscape. A pragmatic mindset combines a humanistic appreciation of localities and practical decision-making to improve prospects for Powerful Geography's implementation and impact on students' career readiness in their communities and regions. Powerful Geography requires 20/20 vision to correct for the limitations of either top-down or bottom-up approaches to institutional implementation. This paper advocates for seeing more clearly the broader institutional mosaic and developing management strategies for diffusing capabilities-driven geography education.Item A Comparative Analysis of Geographical Education in Japan and Myanmar(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2002) Win, Hla HlaTo assess the current status of geographical education in Myanmar’s junior high school curriculum, the geographical education of Japan was used as a comparative reference. The standards measured in the Survey on the State of Geographical Education around the World, conducted by the International Geographical Union in 1999-2000, provided the criteria for comparison. A small survey was also carried out to confirm the comparative assessments made by this researcher for both of the countries. The current geographical education of Japan was found to be more adequate for preparing active twenty-first century citizens. The current geographical education of Myanmar needs to be developed to meet international standards and the policy of the country.Item A Critique of the Standardization of Geography Education in Germany(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2013) Dickel, MirkaThe preparation and adoption of national standards among many countries has been a common practice during the past three decades. This paper presents a critical analysis of the Standards for German Geography Education published in 2006, as well as, a broader critique of standardization in education. The discussion is set within the context of the educational reform movement in Germany over the past decade. The analysis presents critiques from both philosophical, as well as, practical perspectives, and cites instances where standardization and its effects on education fail to address meaningful content in geography for students, teachers, and society. The article delves into the important questions that address the meaning of education. While attention is devoted to Germany education, the articles raise thoughtful questions and discussion that can be asked about the process of educational standardization in other countries.Item A Discipline of Synthesis? Research into Geography’s Subject Matter Content and Disciplinary Identities(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2001) Rutherford, David J.No abstract prepared.Item A Functional Taxonomy for Mapping in Geographic Education(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 1999) Castner, HenryA taxonomy of map use functions, and the map types associated with each, is proposed as a tool in developing more logical sequences of classroom activities that introduce students to maps, their various uses, and to the processes of geographic thinking. Awareness of the great variety of map types and functions is needed so that students can improve their skills in creating and using the appropriate map for inventory, navigation, measurement or analysis tasks. Tradition- ally we categorize maps on the basis of content, scale, or user group. But this fails to illuminate the different ways we design maps so as to address a variety of spatial problems. This paper discusses criteria that can be used to create such a taxonomy and applies them to a prototype taxonomy. It identifies four genera of map use tasks or questions and more than fifty species of specific models, drawings, and map types. A number of implications for geographic education are noted.Item A Message from the Editors. Research Studies: How Long and How Often(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2001) Stoltman, Joseph P.; DeChano, Lisa M.; Rutherford, David J.There is considerable discussion in the professional literature of education that decisions regarding what instructional materials are used in schools, the ages at which they are used, and the pedagogical-content that engages students with the instructional materials would benefit from research. This has been especially evident in the fields of reading and mathematics education, two fields that provide evidence of research as evidenced by the Chicago Math and the phonics versus whole language research in reading. Two elements of the research in those curriculum areas present an impressive model: 1) their longitudinal aspects, or several decades of consistent reporting, and 2) their reliance upon replication of research studies. New research ventures in geographic education form the paradigm that has been used throughout most of its history. This means that new ideas are conceived, a research study is designed and completed, and a report or article is published. While we need new venture research, we have not pursued longitudinal and replication research in geographic education. Both of the latter are essential if we are to gain research legitimacy and recognition among our colleagues and in the eyes of the public, and in the eyes of organizations that fund research.Item A Message from the Editors: Geography Education Research and Research Funding(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2002) Stoltman, Joseph P.; DeChano, Lisa M.Research that is of high quality and that presents meaningful results requires resources. Requests for Proposals (RFPs), invitations to participate in innovative programs, and floating an interesting research idea past a private or governmental funding agency are the means that we normally consider. On this side of the editors' desks, it is apparent to us that the resources required for quality research in geographic education come from a range of sources. The most common source of funding that moves a research project to completion is human capital. Yes, most research that is submitted is completed by a scholar or scholarly team. The researchers have used their own time in completing the research. There are few citations, such as “This research was funded by a major grant from ...” on the title page indicating that external resources were used. One could argue whether or not research should rely on the personal capital of the researcher in terms of time and skill. However, in geographic education the reality is that personal capital is what gets a research project underway, sees it to completion, and presents it as a manuscript. It seems that the personal/professional resources for research in geography education are going to be dominant in the foreseeable future. (The equation: total personal/professional capital in terms of time and necessary resources is greater than those procured by research funding).Item A Powerful Geography Approach to the Curricular Transformation of the Undergraduate Geography Program at the Universidad de Costa Rica(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2018) Campos, Jose Alejandro Cascante; Flores, Isabel Avendaño; Garcia, Victoria GonzálezThe school of geography at the Universidad de Costa Rica started in 2015 a revision of the undergraduate geography program, ending in 2018 with the approval of a new and renewed curriculum. This process involved a "bottom-up" participatory method leaded by the "teaching committee", where faculty members, administrative staff, students, potential employers, and international external reviewers offer their knowledge, opinions, and feedback. This approach ended up in the epistemological definition of the discipline, the challenges in which geographers are called to actively participate at different scales and contexts, the objectives of the geography's undergraduate program, and the potential employment opportunities of future professionals. The committee ended up proposing the curricular structure and organization that will allow student's knowledge acquisition, and the pedagogical approach that will guide geographic learning. The purpose of this article is to analyze how powerful geography concepts and ideas can contribute to understand the changes that the school implemented in this new curriculum. In this way, we discuss on how powerful geography arguments are useful to understand the nature of the changes made to the undergraduate geography program.Item A Quantitative Analysis of the Differing Perceptions of Geography by Visually and Non-Visually Impaired Students(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2010) Murr, Christopher D.Visually impaired students encounter numerous challenges to learning and using geography due to its highly spatial nature. While research is being conducted in areas such as technology to improve access, not much is known as to the degree to which visually impaired and non-visually impaired populations differently perceive their ability to engage successfully in geography course and major work. Such an understanding is essential to identifying and overcoming barriers to the effective conveyance of geographic knowledge to this special needs population. This study using the Mann-Whitney test demonstrates that there is a statistically significant difference between sight and non-sight impaired students' (matriculated at North American colleges and universities) perceived abilities to be successful in the study of geography relative to other visual and non-visual disciplines. The data support a lack of perceived success and thus, likely engagement among the visually impaired in collegiate geography. Such a scenario poses a challenge to the discipline in terms of ensuring diverse thought and solutions regarding the world's geospatial problems.Item A Retrospective View of an Applied Geographer(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2007) Huff, David L.No abstract prepared.Item A Schema Theoretical Approach to Understanding Map Readings(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 1999) Maier, JoanThis two-year study employed a modified grounded theory research methodology. Two questions guided this study: 1.) Could schema theory explain map reading? 2.) Could schemata and processing strategies for map reading be identified and characterized? The subjects voluntarily interpreted a familiar and then an unfamiliar map followed by probing questions that query the subject to think “out loud” in order to clarify their voluntary responses. Individual subjects 'protocols were compiled for constant comparative analysis. These procedures resulted in (1) evidence that supports the application of schema theory to explain map reading; and the development of schemata and processing strategies categories.Item A Theoretical Model for Thematic Map Learning(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2008) Benimmas, AïchaCurrent thematic map styles used at the middle school level in Morocco are not adequately designed to give students the opportunity to improve their knowledge of and their critical thinking in geography. Also, there is an enormous lack of teacher training in cartographic rules and the pedagogical use of the thematic map, which keeps students' geographic reasoning at a low level. The author has designed a theoretical model linking geographic reasoning and cartographic language rules in order to address this issue. An experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of such a model on geographic learning with 7th grade students. Results indicate that the experimental group was significantly more likely to display higher post-test scores in map reading as well as in map design when compared with a control group. In addition, analyses of items failed by some students provide a detailed portrait of how they perceived and treated thematic map information. The purpose of this paper is to help in-service and pre-service teachers improve their teaching and the geographic learning of their students.Item Advanced Placement Human Geography and the Reform of Geographic Education(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2015) Lanegran, David A.No abstract prepared.Item Advances in E-learning - The Case of Blogging in U .K. School Geography(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2009) Wood, PhilThis paper sets out results from a small scale investigation into the use of educational weblogs (edublogs) in U.K. geography education. Using frameworks introduced by Rey (2006) and Owen, Grant, Sayer, and Facer (2006), this investigation provides evidence of a developing blogging community of teachers who are using the opportunities the medium offers in a number of different ways. There is a widespread use of blogs for communicating resources and views, but far less evidence of their use in developing a consciously collaborative medium. However, whilst the evidence for collaboration is small, where it exists, it shows a clear potential for extending learning beyond the confines of the classroom.Item Advancing a Framework to Describe School Geography Curricula Around the World(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2019) Chang, Chew-Hung; Kidman, Gillian; Wi, Andy; Singh, Shyam Anand; Mitchell, JerryGeographical education is practiced differently around the world, as there are many factors (e.g., geographical location) and contexts (e.g., political, cultural) that countries may face in terms of planning and developing their geography curriculum. Invariably, each country has a different curriculum for school geography. The International Charter on Geographical Education (Charter) outlined some key research questions that geography educators around the world should engage with and the contribution, outcomes and research agenda of geographical education (International Geographic Union - Commission on Geographical Education, 2016). Using the Charter as a basis, we compare different curricula around the world by identifying the core geographical concepts, skills and attitudes of geography education with a view of developing a framework that allows researchers and teachers to exchange ideas on how to teach geography better. Through content analyses of curriculum documents, international declarations on geographical education and discussions with international scholars and practitioners, we examine the levels at which geography is taught, the intended cognitive and affective learning outcomes, the instructional approaches, the assessment practices, and even the teacher professional development opportunities that are described in the documents in each country's case. Consequently, we develop a holistic framework that can be used by geography educators who seek to compare school geography practices around the world. In addition, we attempt to describe the essence of geographical education within an international context, which will have applicability for researchers developing an international assessment item, for instance. The research project will have important contributions to the international geographical education community as well as geographical education in Singapore.Item Aerial Photography, Place Related Behaviour and Children's Thinking(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2000) Robertson, Margaret; Taplin, MargaretThis paper reports on research that considers the ways in which younger children interpret aerial photographs and construct patterns and relationships from topographical and land use features within the natural and built environments. The children who participated were six-, eight-, and ten-year-old pupils in two geographically distinct locations (N=82). One school was located in a large town, the other in a rural community. While all children regardless of age showed no difficulty interpreting aerial photographs, there were differences between the two location samples that highlighted the influence of everyday experiences of place and provided some evidence of age development. Development aspects were noticeable in the rules used by the children to explain any patterns they detected in the land use placement. Place relatedness was apparent in the vocabulary used and the features recognised.Item An Antipodean Adventure as an Analytical Applied Human Geographer(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2007) Stimson, Robert J.No abstract prepared.Item An Assessment of GIS Education Using Marble’s Pyramid: Case Study in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2006) Huynh, Niem TuGeographic Information Systems (GIS) as a teaching tool is well entrenched in the curriculum of higher education in North America and abroad. As such, GIS has become a powerful teaching tool in geography and related classrooms, in developing countries. Despite the acceptance of GIS in higher education in both the developed and developing countries, there is a lack of a systematic methodology to identify benchmarks, to measure, and to assess the success of a burgeoning GIS education. The author proposes an assessment of GIS education and benchmarking scheme by applying Marble’s Pyramid to GIS education at three colleges in Viet Nam’s National University-Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC). This paper is organized into three sections with the first providing a background of each college’s implementation of GIS into the curricula. The second part assesses the GIS education at the colleges by measuring each against Marble’s Pyramid. The third section compares results from this study with those in a Canadian report for comparison, and determines the effectiveness of the Marble’s Pyramid as an assessment methodology.Item Analysis of College Students’ Spatial Knowledge and Misconceptions Related to Earthquakes and Volcanoes(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2001) Beilfuss, MeredithAlthough a significant amount of educational research has been carried out in fields such as physics and chemistry, the number of studies that have been conducted in physical geography and earth science has been limited. While students’ conceptual understanding of the Earth in space, Earth’s atmosphere, and Earth’s oceans have been studied, several other aspects of the Earth system have not been studied in any depth. In addition, the impact of physical geography on student ideas about the Earth is rarely discussed. The study described in this paper expands the field of misconception research by focusing on student conceptions of the locations and processes of earthquakes and volcanoes.Item Applied Geographer in the World of International Development(The Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, 2007) Uitto, Juha I.No abstract prepared.