Geography Education in the High School
Developing Curricula to Address Global Understanding
Dec 8, 2008
The dearth of Geography education in high schools took center stage in 2007 when Miss South Carolina, Lauren Caitlin, fumbled a question asking why one fifth of all Americans could not find the United States on a map. Part of her answer was that many Americans don’t have maps. Caitlin, who graduated high school with a 3.5 GPA, became the poster child for deficiencies in high school geography competencies.
Lack of Geography Education in High Schools
In many cases, the closest high school students get to geography is the Advanced Placement course, Human Geography. A 2001 national study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics compared their findings with an earlier 1994 study. While elementary and middle school results had improved slightly, high school results remained constant. The study reflected competencies before No Child Left Behind.
Marketing various tools to teach geography, the McGraw Hill websites states that “only one in five adults [aged 18-24] could pinpoint Afghanistan on the world map.” The inclusion of a specific date range implies that geography education has taken a nose dive within the high school curriculum since No Child Left Behind took affect.
In some states, the problems begin in the lower grades. The North Carolina ABCs of Public Education are so focused on end of grade standardized tests in writing and mathematics that teachers are forced to neglect geography education. Bonus compensation is linked to school improvement gauged by test scores and this incentive contrives to relegate subjects like geography to the least considered priority.
The problem is not corrected in high schools where the Standard Course of Study, defined differently by each state, allows for very little geography education. No Child Left Behind has produced an academic culture steeped in objective testing that sets aside conceptual learning. Geography education is most meaningful within conceptual, global perspectives.
Geography, Technology, and Environmental Considerations
The Lucerne Declaration on Geographical Education for Sustainable Development advocates specific geographical competencies that should be addressed in geography education. Global environmental concerns should propel a reevaluation of curriculum standards in order to meet the immediate needs of environmental changes affecting significant changes in world communities and habitats.
Michelle Davis, writing in Education Week (April 3, 2008: “’Real Essence’ of Geography Ed. Is Online, Experts Say”), addresses the rising use of technology in all grade levels to teach geography. Internet maps and virtual forays into the remotest areas afford students glimpses into cultures that simply cannot be addressed by photocopied maps. Yet even with such technologies problems exist: students can be deeply moved watching an internet video on Darfur refugees, but can they tell you where the Sudan is?
Building Geography Competencies into Course Templates
Geography education is most effective when integrated into existing Social Studies/History course offerings. Some high school text books already attempt this with great success. Glencoe’s The American Vision, an American History high school text, is partnered with National Geographic and features superb maps that integrate specific concepts and themes with geographic considerations.
World History courses, mandatory in many states as part of core high school requirements, should include specific geography units. If possible, geography as a separate unit of study could be offered as semesterized options. Many state standards view such substitutions as acceptable alternatives.
It is clear that geography needs a greater emphasis in the nation’s schools. Geography competencies not only ensure academic well roundedness, but enable students to better understand contemporary events and global environmental concerns. If multicultural goals interplay with everything from global finance and cross-national economic considerations, then geography must assume a more important role in the curriculum.
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