1. International Approaches to Geography Instruction Patrick Womac Clemson University

2. What is Geographic Literacy? What it isn’t… –Encyclopedic knowledge –Map-reading skills What it is… –Ability to use information about people and places to solve problems and plan What it requires… –Understanding –Knowledge –Skills

7. Five Themes of Geography LocationPlace Human- Environment Interaction Movement Regions

8. A Goal of Education? To produce a well-informed, critical- thinking citizenry, capable of making evidence-based decisions. Democracy requires an informed electorate.

11. Overall Results Average # of correct answers out of a possible 56 correct Sample: 18- to 24-year-olds

12. Percentage of young U.S. adults correctly identifying Afghanistan on a world map Sample: U.S. 18- to 24-year-olds World Hotspots

14. Newsweek gave the US citizenship test for immigrants to people born in the US and found that only 38% could pass.

16. “I suggest a new regulation on war — If a majority of your country cannot find the enemy country on the map, they aren’t interested enough to justify making war against it.” Juan Cole - http://www.juancole.com/2012/01/gods-way-of-teaching-americans-geography.html

17. If you don’t know where it is, you’re not allowed to have an opinion about it. – especially about bombing it. Or If you don’t know three things about a person/place/idea, then you’re not allowed to have an opinion about it. A Theory In Progress…

19. Impetus & Framework 2006 National Geography Roper Survey Effects of increased geography instruction Personal Experience

21. Factors Influencing Performance Factors that seem to influence performance: –Level of education –Young U.S. adults who reported taking a geography course in school performed better on the quiz. –International travel and language skills –News-seeking behavior