GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION

Geographical literacy remains vital—particularly for those of us who live in (for the time being at least) the world’s preeminent military and economic superpower. Geography is necessary for understanding why the overthrow of a government in Libya contributed to an unprecedented surge of migrants into Europe, why Ukraine has been split between East and West amid its conflict with Russia, and why China’s neighbors are alarmed at the new islands under construction in the South China Sea. And as we learned during last year’s Ebola panic, an understanding of African geography could have helped explain why an outbreak in West Africa should not lead to the quarantining of people from Kenya or Tanzania. In the years to come, as the effects of climate change on everything from sea level rise to deforestation to drought quite literally reshape the world we live in, an understanding of geography will be necessary for mitigating and adapting to the consequences.

Source: www.slate.com

A basic understanding of geography is a prerequisite for any informed citizen, and globalization means that is even more important than ever.  

Tags: education, K12, geography education.

Source: attendee.gotowebinar.com

Spies Travel is joining forces with wannabe grandmas in the fight against Denmark’s low birth rate. Introducing Spies Parent Purchase™: Send your child on an active holiday and get a grandchild.

Source: www.youtube.com

We’ve stripped out the street names and lost the labels – but can you still recognise the cities from their aerial views?

Source: www.theguardian.com

This is a fun map quiz that is part memory, but also relies on pattern recognition to see if you can understand the urban morphology that shaped these places.  I got 11 out of 13…can anybody top that?  I’m sure someone can; give it a shot.  

Tags: planning, architecture, urban, regions, trivia, games.

Ubercool wind animation all over the world. Wind and weather forecast for kiters, surfers, pilots and anyone else.

Source: www.windyty.com

“In and around Amish country, it’s easy to find countless stores and websites advertising Amish quilts, Amish candy and Amish crafts. But though Mr. Zook is Amish, it would be impossible to tell from the name of his Evansburg farm, Maple Run, or his products, whose homemade labels make no mention of their maker’s religion.  In fact, it’s a good bet that if the word ‘Amish’ appears on a store or a product, the Amish themselves didn’t put it there. Experts and Amish alike say that the name, used as a marketing tool, is almost exclusively the domain of the non-Amish.”

Source: www.post-gazette.com

While being an interesting topic in and of itself, this article is also an way way to introduce various concepts of cultural geography: folk culture, cultural commodification and cultural appropriation.

Questions to Ponder: Why is there cultural and economic cachet in being affiliated with the term ‘Amish’ in the United States today? When do you feel cultural commodification is ‘crossing the line’ or is everything marketable fair game?  What are other examples of cultural appropriation that you can think of? 

Tags:  folk cultures, economic, culture, religion, technology, popular culture.

To convey the lives of the people buried beneath them, and the expectations for what comes after death, symbolism has long been part of tombstones. Below is our guide to some of the most prevalent cemetery symbols. Take it along on your next wander through the necropolis!

Tag: cemetery, monuments, landscape.

Source: www.atlasobscura.com

A good friend of mine always calls October 1st, the first day of Halloween.  Enjoy exploring the geography of cemeteries!