Comments on the NGS-Roper 2002 Survey

By Keith M. Bell -- Tennessee Geographic Alliance Newsletter -- Spring 2003

The National Geographic–Roper 2002 Global Geographic Literacy Survey was released in November 2002. The results, predictably, were not good. If the world is geographically challenged, which it is, then the United States is geographically comatose.

None of the nine countries taking part in the survey could claim perfection as none scored an "A." Americans, however, did particularly poorly, scoring a "D" on the 56-question survey. All other countries surpassed the US, except Mexico - the only developing country included in the study. Most unsettling was that the other countries seemed to know more about the US than America's own citizens did. (The results are available at http://geosurvey.nationalgeographic.com/geosurvey/download/RoperSurvey.pdf)

How did it come to this? How did the United States - "the leader of the free world" - forget where the followers were? Two simple reasons: geography and a lack of geography.

The Problem

The study notes that "Respondents who travel internationally and/or speak more than one language did better on the survey." Consequently Swedes scored the highest on the survey because they traveled to foreign lands more often and spoke multiple languages.

How do the factors of travel and linguistics negatively affect the United States’ populace? Unlike most of the other countries in the survey, the United States is large, which makes it difficult for our citizens to travel to foreign lands. In this way, 18- to 24-year-olds in the US are unlike those in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom who all live in relatively small countries near other small countries, and in those neighboring countries are different ethnic groups with different social customs and languages. This exposure has led to a greater understanding of landscapes, cultures, and relationships by the people who live there. In essence, this exposure has brought at least a modicum of geographic literacy.

Likewise, the monolinguistic nature of our country keeps us rooted in a narrow Anglophile view of the world. Although Spanish is encroaching from the south and French has had a minimal presence in Louisiana, these two languages are being resisted by many in the States. English is the lingua franca.

Now, does this hypothesis adequately expose all of our shortcomings? Not really, because if it did then Canada, the world’s second largest country, would have done equally bad on the survey. They scored a "C." Also, Japan, a more isolated state than America, scored a "C" as well. These aren't great scores, but they are certainly better than the 23 of 56 the US pulled on the test.

The most plausible explanation of our ignorance is lack of informed geographic instruction for our nation's youth. The survey notes, "Respondents who completed more school and those who reported taking a geography course in school did somewhat better on the survey than those who did not." I survey my freshman/sophomore college classes each semester and find that very few have ever had a geography class during their K-12 education. Of the ones who have had a geography class, few remember any useful information from it because they were taught the most rudimentary aspects of the discipline - the states and capitals. Without any real reason to learn these "facts," they become mere rote and are easily forgotten.

One will notice that I put emphasis on the word "informed" in the previous paragraph. I did that because the K-12 teachers of geography, to a large degree, have little understanding of the discipline themselves. That’s bad enough, but when geography isn't taught at all then the worst-case scenario becomes a reality. Said Roger Downs, a Pennsylvania State University professor of geography, "If geography is not in the curriculum, it's not tested—and that says to the students that it is not valued" (Trivedi: National Geographic Today). Thus the message comes through loud and clear that geography simply doesn't matter. How, then, do we teach our nation’s youth that geography is important?

The Solution

Geography exists in every corner of the curriculum and can be taught in every lesson during the day. All it takes is informed teachers to present the connection. To improve teachers’ knowledge I have some suggestions for making geographic education a success in our country.

First, Americans should stop treating geography as if it's trivia. I like Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, and the Geographic Bee. All of these games/contests bring geographic knowledge, but they also trivialize geography. Each makes it seem that isolated facts are the ultimate end to learning geography. They neglect the pattern, connection, and spatial understanding necessary to truly "get" geography.

For example, knowing that Mt. Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world is worthless unless the student knows how it got that way and what impact it has on the people that live in the region. Students need to know that plate tectonics caused (and are still causing) a cataclysmic crash of giant landmasses. The resultant mountains impact weather systems, locking interior Asia into a cold, dry existence. The corresponding monsoons impact the subcontinent with extreme wet/dry seasonal shifts. These additions to the “trivia” of geography are the necessary requirements to make geographic literacy possible.

I'm not trying to dissuade students from taking part in these fun exercises. In fact, if it weren't for them, there might be no interest whatsoever in geography. All I’m suggesting is that a deeper education in geography should be added to these games so that a greater awareness of the world can come into focus for the students. We shouldn't be accentuating the superficial because when we focus only on the most frivolous aspects of the discipline, an acceptable understanding of the world is impossible to grasp. If that happens, then we're back to the rote.

Second, all teachers should stress geographic aspects in their lessons, no matter what the material or subject matter may be. For example, if one teaches math, then he or she should stress the axes of the prime meridian and the equator, the arcs of the globe, and the addresses of mathematical (absolute) location. These are the fundamentals of geography as they relate to math. They provide a sound basis for the building of geographic literacy.

If one teaches history, then he or she should stress the chessboard where history is played out. The environment, economics, and politics are an indivisible part of history. In history, dates like 1492, 1776, 1865, and September 11 mean little if there is no understanding of the ramifications of the events themselves. Let the students see the impact of characters and events that led up to the date. Then let them see how the world was changed afterwards.

If one teaches earth sciences, then let the students see how volcanoes, earthquakes, rain, wind, glaciers, and waves alter the landscape. Allow the students to see the impact humans have on the planet, from the houses and dams we build to the wells we drill and the coal we burn. These and other important facts make geography more relevant and interesting.

Third, all teachers should join their state's Geographic Alliance. If those reading the examples in my first two points are limited in their understanding of the information, then there’s no better resource for a K-12 teacher.

There are Geographic Alliances (or Societies) in all 50 states. Each alliance offers instruction to teachers who need help teaching geography. Every teacher, even those who teach geography every day, should take part in these meetings because the amount and type of information is vital to keeping geographic instruction fresh, exciting, and fulfilling. Just ask any teacher who has attended a chapter meeting, summer institute, or annual roundup. They'll tell you that it was well worth their time. (Here is a hyperlink to the Alliance web site: http://web.utk.edu/~tga.)

Geography will remain trivial until we make it relevant. Teachers must layer the information so that it means something on many different levels. Finally, and most importantly, the support groups are out there to broaden each instructor’s educational base. This is the way that we will turn the tide of ignorance and misinformation in geography. America's youth surely deserves better, and the world deserves better-informed leadership from the United States.