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In a recent survey testing Americans’ abilities, only 17% of adults could find Afghanistan on a map. In comparison, Sweden scored highest and Mexico scored last in performing the same task. (In case you’re wondering, the U.S. scored just above Mexico.) Another study conducted showed that only 11% of those taking the survey were able to point to the U.S.A. on a map. Additionally, in spite of being threatened by Iraq on a regular basis, less than 15% of young Americans surveyed could locate Iraq on a map. In combination, these statistics indicate that some young people are in no way prepared to enter a global workforce. Surveys and interviews have shown geographical knowledge among Americans is low and is only getting worse. As of 2014, 73% of Americans couldn’t identify America on a map of America.
If there’s any hope of improving this situation, we need to understand what geo-literacy is and what it entails. According to National Geographic, geo-literacy is “the ability to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make decisions.” National Geographic highlights the importance of geography in our daily life, contending that we all use geo-literacy on a regular basis to make decisions about where to live, travel, visit, and more. This is why geography matters more than ever!
The importance of studying geography is real! For starters, those who study world geography…
Teaching world geography to high school students doesn’t have to be something you dread! In fact, with a little preparation, it may come to be something you enjoy teaching.
Wondering how to teach geography in a super fun way? Here are some great resources your high schooler will love when learning world geography:
So, why do we need geography? The reasons are endless! Not only does teaching geography help students learn more about different places around the world, but it also assists in understanding history. If you don’t feel capable of teaching this valuable topic, there are teaching resources out there that can help you since having a solid geo-literacy foundation is important for your students.
May 25, 2018
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