Recent Developments in Geographic Education

Abstract

A number of significant changes have occurred in K-12 geography in U. S. schools in the last decade. This paper reviews these key changes beginning with the realization that significant numbers of Americans were geographically illiterate, responses by the national geographical organizations, and the development of the National Geographic Society "Geographic Education Program". Recent initiatives stress the autonomy of geography as a discipline and suggest that the subject be taught outside the context of the social studies. It is argued in this paper that separation of geography from the social studies would be counter-productive. Finally, social studies teacher preparation in U. S. schools must be more effective in enhancing geography-specific teaching methods and learning theories, an activity not usually developed in social studies methods course.