1. Current Trends in Geography Eductaion Geography Institute for High School Teachers Fall 2010 Maggie Legates, Delaware Geographic Alliance

2. Emerging Brain Research informs new curricula and teaching materials

3. Spatial thinking is key to success in science, technology, enginnering and mathematics (STEM)

4. What common teaching tools enhance or reinforce content learning with spatial tools? Spatial learningContent learning is enhanced when linked with verbal descriptions and terminology for patterns, relationships, etc. (especially historical, temporal learning) is enhanced with models, diagrams, and graphics.

5. Symbolic Representation of concepts, patterns, and relationships Use timelines and diagrams Use graphic organizers that match the concept Teach photo interpretation Teach mapping and map analysis

6. Use of gesture is more important than we thought!

7. Service-Learning Projects and Community-Based Learning

8. Students make a difference Geography skill-related Topical or service Gathering, organizing, publishing data Teaching geography to others Advocating for others Social justice Increased connection, awareness

9. UD geographer April Veness At UD, students gathered and organized photos and artifacts, interviewed residents of Newark. Results were published on the web as a clickable map.

10. UD undergrads worked with Engineers Without Borders and Rotarians to construct a water project in Guatemala.

11. Other examples of service learning projects In Minnesota students helped reduce fire danger in rural areas ◦Screened rural neighborhoods with aerial photos ◦Conducted follow-up walking surveys ◦Public information distributed In Felton, DE students identified a hazardous intersection, devised a solution, contacted policymakers In Pennsylvania, students helped homeless people advocate for change in food stamp regulations.

12. Interactive, Collaborative, Web-Based Learning

13. Problem-Based Learning Teachers identify a real world problem with multiple perspectives. Teachers provide starter information, guidelines for work plan and products. Students play roles, conduct research, share information with others. Students collaborate to solve problems.

14. Projects and Progress in Geographic Learning Research