Geography textbooks contain chapter or review questions that may engage students in spatial thinking. This research used Jo and Bednarz's (2009) "Taxonomy of Spatial Thinking" to evaluate the percentage of spatial thinking questions in four university-level world geography course textbooks. The results from this study were then…

Presents the current and preeminent policy statement of the Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union. Reiterates the vital importance of geographic education and outlines general standards for curriculum planning. Addresses a broad range of issues including fundamental concepts, research and educational…

Discusses the isolated and uncertain status of geography departments in most community colleges. Identifies the root of the problem as being a combination of community college growth and the shift from an academic to a remedial/vocational orientation. Finds this disturbing in light of community colleges' massive enrollment. (MJP)

Reports the effectiveness of nine in-service summer institutes designed to improve geography instruction. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of the workshops and the institutes' long-term effectiveness. Finds that participants not only made substantive changes in how they taught geography, but also conducted high-level inservice programs. (CFR)

Maintains that the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze spatial dimensions of health care and disease ecology is becoming a realistic prospect for investigators in the social sciences. Contends that enough information is available to provide instructors with materials for classroom units. (CFR)

Discusses an assessment program in the geography department of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Describes the development of a senior proficiency examination. Suggests that the assessment process include development of meaningful curricular goals and strategies for implementation. Breaks the project down into phases: the search for funding,…

Suggests the need for a law and geography course to prepare future geographers to contribute to implementation of the law. Proposes a course outline, including an introduction, major existing research areas, and exploration of developing new research areas combining law and geography. Stresses the importance of social and environmental data in…

Urges increased geographic and meteorologic training for television weather reporters. Suggests using television weather reports to promote knowledge of place names and physical geography. Discusses a survey of television news departments in 48 states. Reports findings on the lengths of weather reports and the training of weather reporters. (DK)

Analyzes the establishment, expansion, and contraction of geography departments at the college and university level beginning in the late 1800s and concluding with the present decade. Reports that in the 1980s the total number of geography departments in the United States decreased for the first time. (DB)

Describes a four-credit college course for preservice elementary and secondary teachers. Declares that the course is a model that integrates basic geography content with appropriate teaching strategies. Outlines the origins and development of the course and includes a copy of the class syllabus. (CFR)

Describes the national geography standards, "Geography for Life," part of the Goals 2000 program. Asserts that the standards define the most important elements of geography content and instruction. Discusses innovative features of the standards and presents suggestions for using them. (CFR)

Presents a historical overview of the educational reform movement that produced the "Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools" and the "Fundamental Themes of Geography." Describes the efforts that led to the identification of the five fundamental themes and their translation into ordinary language. (CFR)

Reviews developments in geography education since World War II. Finds reasons for cautious optimism as a result of the development of national standards in core curriculum subjects and earlier efforts by the Geography Education National Implementation Project. (CFR)

Maintains that local school districts will soon be confronted with the task of implementing national standards in geography, history, civics, and government. Asserts that the geography community needs strong partners among teachers' unions and other educational organizations. (CFR)

Asserts that to establish standards-based education in K-12 geography, educators must develop strong instructional materials; train teachers to use those materials; and ensure adoption of the materials by providing curricular guidance. Maintains that alternatives to traditional content and instruction must be used. (CFR)