Geographic Influences in the Atlanta Campaign

Abstract

The growing importance of law in American society and the potential contribution that geographers can make in implementing America's legal system point to rewarding future linkages between law and geography. This paper suggests the need for a course on Law and Geography to cultivate these linkages. The proposed course outline draws examples from water law and criminal justice law and other legal bodies that suggest significant avenues for future geographical research.     

Improving the Cognitive Development of Students' Mental Maps of the World

Abstract

In this study, the author examines the use of four protocol lessons designed to aid 7th grade students in developing a clear mental map of the world. Two classes, involving 44 students, participated in the study. One class was taught using the instructional sequence common to the district's 7th grade world geography classes. The second class was instructed using the protocol lessons. A quantitative and qualitative assessment took place. The results indicated that students using the protocol lessons developed more detailed and accurate mental maps of the world than those instructed in the common sequence. The study advocates having students construct and work with maps, rather than simply filling in information on them.     

Field Work in the Classroom

To make sense of spatial data, information and concepts strong geographic literacy skills are a prerequisite, yet existing studies suggest a global decline in these skills. Current geographic tools predominantly focus on mapping tasks that do not necessarily lead to an understanding of the broader geographic relevance of location. This article argues that in order to improve geographic literacy exercises should test an understanding of location and employ techniques to correct deficiencies. To support this argument this study offers evidence on the effectiveness of online quizzes in improving geographic literacy skills of first-year undergraduate geography students.     

中国的地理基础教育问题研究——兼论我国中学地理课程标准的目标与内容结构

本文从中国地理基础教育改革的视角,通过对地理学发展新趋势、社会需求变化和学生心理发展的分析,阐述了地理基础教育的价值和地理基础教育改革的必要性。结合中外地理教育在实现方式与过程、课程评价以及情感态度培养等方面的比较研究,提出了我国新中学地理课程标准研制的理念与目标、地理基础教育的结构设计以及实施地理基础教育改革的关键环节。     

Observational Work for Children

Abstract

Geographic information systems (GIS) are computer-based tools for geographic data analysis and spatial visualization. They have become one of the information and communications technologies for education at all levels. This article reviews the current status of GIS in schools, analyzes the requirements of a GIS-based learning environment from constructivist perspectives, and discusses the major issues in the design of a constructivist GIS-based learning environment based on experience from the development of World Explorer, a GIS-based learning environment that provides a theme-oriented data and information base, supports multiple representations and multiple linkages of information, and facilitates interactive learning and knowledge construction.     

Preparing Geographers for Interdisciplinary Research: Graduate Training at the Interface of the Natural and Social Sciences

Recent debates about the state of geography raise valuable questions about how the discipline can and should change in response to shifting institutional realities. Focusing on the breadth and interdisciplinarity of geography, these discussions often overlook the role of pedagogy—particularly graduate training—in adapting the discipline to new institutional landscapes. Drawing on experiences as current and recent geography doctoral students, we identify institutional seedlings of opportunity that can be cultivated toward a spectrum of alternative doctoral training models. These alternatives offer significant opportunities to better prepare early-career geographers for success and to solidify geography's position as a leader in interdisciplinary research.     

The Digital Versatile Disc as a Learning Support Medium in the Teaching and Learning of Map Work

Abstract

This article describes the results of a study where the digital versatile disc (DVD) was used as a variant of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in order to aid in the teaching and learning of map work in geography at secondary school level. A group of grade 10 learners of a previously disadvantaged school in South Africa comprised the target group for the project. A case study was conducted and data was gathered on the implementation of the DVD and the learners' perceptions thereof. Qualitative analysis techniques such as field notes, observation, interviews with the learners, and questionnaires were used to analyze the effectiveness of the implementation of the DVD as well as the learners' perceptions regarding the use of the DVD in geography education. The results of the study indicated that the geography learners demonstrated positive attitudes towards the implementation of the DVD as a learning support medium. To determine the contribution of the DVD project towards the achieved results of the learners in map work, both the experimental and control groups participated in a pre- and post-test at the beginning and conclusion of the project. Effect size was used to determine the significance of the differences between the two groups and indicates a strong practical significance regarding the contribution of the DVD project towards the achieved test results of the learners.     

西方老年人长期照护研究的地理学回顾

从地理学视角来看,西方国家关于老年人长期照护的研究经历了从非地理学者的早期探索,到多学科交叉领域,再到地理学研究分支领域的发展过程。论文在回顾已有文献的基础上,梳理出西方老年人长期照护地理学研究的5个主题：① 老年人长期照护需求的地理分布;② 照护设施的空间布局及可达性;③ 长期照护服务的利用状况与制约因素;④ 不同空间或场所的照护体验;⑤ 长期照护的政策讨论与应对,以期为从地理学视角解读中国特定社会经济背景下的老年人长期照护提供借鉴,并对中国老年人长期照护的地理学研究提出展望。     

Policies and Practices for an Antiracist Geography at the Millennium

As we enter the new millennium, geographers have a momentous opportunity to reflect upon the historical development of our discipline and the academic culture within which it thrives, with the aim of setting out an antiracist agenda. We advocate a fundamental refashioning of the discipline, not simply an extension of its research agenda; for racism, like gender, is not just another item in the lexicon of geographical subjects. The agenda includes, but is not limited to: clarifying relations between racism and law; racism and immigration policy; racism and poverty; and mobilizing racialized groups around policy issues. These items need to be addressed both through scholarship and through activism, as centering geographical practices in the streets rather than in the academy impels not only more effective social change, but also new theoretical understanding of geographies of engagement. Our agenda for antiracist geography also involves three aspects of institutional change: to build up on and extend traditional geographical scholarship; to change the basis of the discipline by extending the principles of antiracism throughout our institutional practices, particularly in the classroom; and to change the face of the discipline by increasing the participation and contributions of geographers of color.     

基于GIS的探究式自然地理学野外实习平台系统

为更好地在自然地理学野外实践教学中贯彻以学生为本的教学理念,提出利用GIS技术开发探究式自然地理野外实习平台系统。该系统变革了传统的理论验证型和认知型实习模式,提高了学生实习的自主性和能动性。对探究式自然地理实习平台系统需求进行了分析,并根据该需求,对平台系统框架和功能进行了设计,对研制该系统的核心技术进行了深入研究,最后以庐山自然地理野外实习为例,对该系统进行了验证。验证结果表明该平台系统能够提高实习质量,增强学生学习自主性,具有重要的应用推广价值。     

A New Use for the Geography Chart

Abstract

Geography occupies a prominent position in the high school curriculum in China. The syllabus for geography, as for other subjects, has been centrally prescribed since the early 1900s but during the last 40 years it has undergone major changes. The current syllabus, which covers both human and physical aspects of the subject, also embraces people-environment and resource issues. Obstacles to the further development of the subject include a lack of qualified staff, wide variations in educational standards, and the fact that geography, although a “required” subject in some years, is not yet a compulsory subject in the University Entrance Examination. Gradually these problems are being addressed and there are grounds to be optimistic about the future of the discipline at this level in China.     

The Role of a PhD Field Exam in Preparing Graduate Students for Academic Careers*

The Department of Geography at Arizona State University implemented a field exam as part of its PhD program requirements. This field exam requires students to develop an independent field‐based research project based on a general question in the student's specialty area. A survey of current and former PhD students and faculty members document how the field exam assists students in developing skills necessary for continuing graduate research and for preparing them for the rigors of academic employment. The outcomes of the exam include both long‐term, process‐related benefits and more immediate tangible rewards. For some students, the preliminary fieldwork and results redirect student interests and form the basis for their eventual dissertation. The field exam is adaptable to a diversity of geography research methods, subject areas, and graduate degree programs, while remaining grounded in the discipline's vibrant, widely respected fieldwork tradition.     

Curricular Changes in the Teaching of Geography in Swiss Upper Secondary Schools: An Attempt to Develop Skills for Lifelong Learning

Abstract

This article is an overview of the curriculum reform in Switzerland in the 1990s. It describes the grass-roots reform process in geography education in upper secondary schools and its impact on the development of new teaching materials. These ancillary materials are based on teaching methods and strategies, the effectiveness of which are empirically shown by results. The teaching units complement the thematic and methodological aims in the national curriculum and the federal regulations and were designed through a partnership of teachers, teacher educators and scientists. They can be translated directly into the practice of teaching and are available free to teachers through the World Wide Web.     

Not just for fun: Using cartoons to investigate geographical issues

Abstract:  Geography teachers have, for some time, acknowledged the value of cartoons as a means of fostering an appreciation and understanding of geographical issues. They have, however, often struggled to identify the range of instructional strategies that best facilitate their students' interpretation of this rich, yet quite diverse, form of cultural artefact. This article examines the development of cartoons as a form of political satire and social commentary, outlines the benefits derived from using cartoons as an instructional tool, and explores some of the cartoon-based teaching and learning strategies teachers employ to enhance the interpretative and communicative skills of students.     

Alternative tourism geographies: Leveraging the ironic case of Pennsylvania's Route 666 for economic development

Our paper reconciles dark tourism with phantasmal destination tourism in order to promote the potential for successfully marketing roadways numbered “666” as an economic development strategy appropriate to distressed localities in the USA. We focus our attention on the David Zeisberger Highway in rural Pennsylvania as a case study. We propose a routes 666 phantasmal tourism promotion that socially constructs a “magical reality” with niche tourism potential by tapping into what we identify as the already latent power of “The Beast” widespread in the public imagination as inspired by the Book of Revelation 13:18 (“Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”). We combine the premises and conceptualizations set forth in dark tourism, phantasmal destination, applied tourism and rural geography, and rural tourism research with scientific insights provided by “the fallacy of selective thinking” to argue that 666 roadways can offer a marketable “looking for the Beast” experience. Our case study of Pennsylvania Route 666 envisions the potential of this roadway as a prototype “Route 666 looking for The Beast experience”. We find a synergy and new economic potential in the combination of dark tourism and phantasmal destination tourism concepts that inspire explorations of new frontiers in tourism for economic development. Our study is innovative in its conception and proposes a rational and specific plan for rural economic development involving niche tourism promotion.     

Assessment and Management Strategies for Ungulate Population in Jiangxi Matoushan National Nature Reserve: Predicting the Prey-base from Empirical Field Data

In order to investigate the feasibility of reintroducing the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) in the Jiangxi Matoushan National Nature Reserve, field surveys were conducted to assess prey distribution in the reserve. Twelve permanent transects were set in three distinct functional zones from February to April 2012 and May to July 2013. A total of 112 ungulate signs were recorded on these transects. In addition, 20 camera traps were used to survey ungulates and predators in 2012, while the following year we extended the survey site by using 30 cameras. Overall, 6641 capture events on 2930 camera days were obtained, presenting a variety of ungulate species: muntjak (Muntiacus muntjak), tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), serow (Capricornis sumatraensis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Population structure and composition of ungulates was compared in different functional zones using a single factor of variance analysis in SPSS software. Significant differences in the distribution of ungulates were recognized between the core zone and experimental zone, but not in other zones due to differences in habitat types and management practices of the nature reserve. Using ArcGIS analysis and Salford Predictive Modeler software, we ran several predictive models to understand which areas are most suitable for ungulates. We conclude that muntjac and wild boar are mainly distributed in the experimental zone, serow are more common in the core zone, while tufted deer are located evenly in the three functional zones. Finally, suggestions for effective and feasible management strategies and techniques for Matoushan National Nature Reserve were recommended based on the results and analysis in this study.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Geographical Aspects of Health and Disease in India . Rais Akhtar and A.T.A. Learmonth , eds . Antarctic Treaty System: An Assessment . Proceedings of a Workshop at Beardmore South Field Camp, Antarctica. American Electoral Mosaics . J. Clark Archer and Fred M. Shelley . Kompas op Suidwes-Afrika/Namibie . W.S. Barnard , ed . Jerusalem in the 19th Century: The Old City . Yehoshua Ben -Arieh . The World as a Total System . Kenneth E. Boulding . A Social History of Housing 1815–1985, Second Ed . John Burnett . Human Migration . W.A.V. Clark . Regional Population Projection Models . Andrei Rogers . The State of Population Theory: Forward from Malthus . David Coleman and Roger Schofield , eds . Imagining Tomorrow: History, Technology and the American Future . Joseph C. Corn , ed. Swidden Agriculture in Indonesia: The Subsistence Strategies of the Kalimantan Kantú . Michael R. Dove . Glacial Geologic Processes . David Drewry . Physics of Desertification . Farouk El -Baz and M.H.A. Hassan , eds . Housing the Homeless . Jon Erickson and Charles Wilhelm , eds . Settlement Patterns in Missouri: A Study of Population Origins, with a Wall Map . Russel L. Gerlach . Desert Development: Man and Technology in Sparselands . Yehuda Gradus , ed . Nuclear Winter. The Evidence and Risks . Owen Greene , Ian Percival and Irene Ridge . The Take-off of Suburbia and the Crisis of the Central City . Günter Heinritz and Elisabeth Lichtenberger , eds . Regional Input-Output Analysis . Geoffrey J. D. Hewings . Spatial Transportation Modeling . Christian Werner . The Atlas of Georgia . Thomas W. Hodler and Howard A. Schretter , eds . Latin America. 5th ed . Preston E. James and C.W. Minkel . Applied Remote Sensing . C.P. Lo . Localities, Class, and Gender . The Lancaster Regionalism Group . Urban Social Movements: The City after Castells . Stuart Lowe . Politics and Method . Doreen Massey and Richard Meegan , eds . Land Use . A. S. Mather . The Kingdom of Coal . Donald L. Miller and Richard E. Sharpless . The Presidio and Militia on the Northern Frontier of New Spain, A Documentary History, Vol. 1: 1570–1700 . Thomas H. Naylor and Charles W. Polzer , S.J., comps . and eds . Nuclear Power: Siting and Safety . Stan Openshaw . The Central African Republic: The Continent's Hidden Heart . Thomas O'Toole . Environmental and Dynamic Geomorphology . Márton Pécsi , ed . Remote Sensing Principles and Interpretation . Floyd F. Sabins , Jr . Acid Rain and Friendly Neighbors: The Policy Dispute between Canada and the United States . Jurgen Schmandt and Hilliard Roderick , eds . Earth's Changing Surface: An Introduction to Geomorphology . M.J. Selby . International Migration: The Female Experience . Rita J. Simon and Caroline B. Brettell , eds . On Geography and Its History . D.R. Stoddart . Transportation Networks: A Quantitative Approach . D. Teodorovic . Processes in Physical Geography . R.D. Thompson , A.M. Mannion , C.W. Mitchell , M. Parry , J.R.G. Townshend . Imaging Radar for Resources Surveys . J.W. Trevett . Dominance and Affection: The Making of Pets . Yi -Fu Tuan . Capturing the Horizon. The Historical Geography of Transportation since the Transportation Revolution of the Sixteenth Century . James E. Vance , Jr . Nations at Risk: The Impact of the Computer Revolution . Edward Yourdon .     

Symposium On Sediment Storage In Rivers And Estuaries

Book Reviewed in this article:

Geographical Aspects of Health and Disease in India. Rais Akhtarand A.T.A. Learmonth, eds.

Antarctic Treaty System: An Assessment. Proceedings of a Workshop at Beardmore South Field Camp, Antarctica.

American Electoral Mosaics. J. Clark Archerand Fred M. Shelley.

Kompas op Suidwes-Afrika/Namibie. W.S. Barnard, ed.

Jerusalem in the 19th Century: The Old City. Yehoshua Ben-Arieh.

The World as a Total System. Kenneth E. Boulding.

A Social History of Housing 1815–1985, Second Ed. John Burnett.

Human Migration. W.A.V. Clark.

Regional Population Projection Models. Andrei Rogers.

The State of Population Theory: Forward from Malthus. David Colemanand Roger Schofield, eds.

Imagining Tomorrow: History, Technology and the American Future. Joseph C. Corn, ed.

Swidden Agriculture in Indonesia: The Subsistence Strategies of the Kalimantan Kantú. Michael R. Dove.

Glacial Geologic Processes. David Drewry.

Physics of Desertification. Farouk El-Bazand M.H.A. Hassan, eds.

Housing the Homeless. Jon Ericksonand Charles Wilhelm, eds.

Settlement Patterns in Missouri: A Study of Population Origins, with a Wall Map. Russel L. Gerlach.

Desert Development: Man and Technology in Sparselands. Yehuda Gradus, ed.

Nuclear Winter. The Evidence and Risks. Owen Greene, Ian Percivaland Irene Ridge.

The Take-off of Suburbia and the Crisis of the Central City. Günter Heinritzand Elisabeth Lichtenberger, eds.

Regional Input-Output Analysis. Geoffrey J. D. Hewings.

Spatial Transportation Modeling. Christian Werner.

The Atlas of Georgia. Thomas W. Hodlerand Howard A. Schretter, eds.

Latin America. 5th ed. Preston E. Jamesand C.W. Minkel.

Applied Remote Sensing. C.P. Lo.

Localities, Class, and Gender. The Lancaster Regionalism Group.

Urban Social Movements: The City after Castells. Stuart Lowe.

Politics and Method. Doreen Masseyand Richard Meegan, eds.

Land Use. A. S. Mather.

The Kingdom of Coal. Donald L. Millerand Richard E. Sharpless.

The Presidio and Militia on the Northern Frontier of New Spain, A Documentary History, Vol. 1: 1570–1700. Thomas H. Naylorand Charles W. Polzer, S.J., comps. andeds.

Nuclear Power: Siting and Safety. Stan Openshaw.

The Central African Republic: The Continent's Hidden Heart. Thomas O'Toole.

Environmental and Dynamic Geomorphology. Márton Pécsi, ed.

Remote Sensing Principles and Interpretation. Floyd F. Sabins, Jr.

Acid Rain and Friendly Neighbors: The Policy Dispute between Canada and the United States. Jurgen Schmandtand Hilliard Roderick, eds.

Earth's Changing Surface: An Introduction to Geomorphology. M.J. Selby.

International Migration: The Female Experience. Rita J. Simonand Caroline B. Brettell, eds.

On Geography and Its History. D.R. Stoddart.

Transportation Networks: A Quantitative Approach. D. Teodorovic.

Processes in Physical Geography. R.D. Thompson, A.M. Mannion, C.W. Mitchell, M. Parry, J.R.G. Townshend.

Imaging Radar for Resources Surveys. J.W. Trevett.

Dominance and Affection: The Making of Pets. Yi-Fu Tuan.

Capturing the Horizon. The Historical Geography of Transportation since the Transportation Revolution of the Sixteenth Century. James E. Vance, Jr.

Nations at Risk: The Impact of the Computer Revolution. Edward Yourdon.