![]() The visits to schools often attract positive attention from parents, media and political leaders. Sustained outreach of this kind requires significant effort, but brings significant rewards to a department, a university, and the surrounding region. The work has given the faculty members and participating undergraduate assistants deep insights into the diverse communities of our region, while helping middle-school students and their teachers better understand their connections to the wider world. This paper describes educational outreach programs through which geography faculty at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts have worked directly with thousands of students and dozens of teachers each year since 2008. ![]() Introductory university courses in geography now often include remediation for geographic learning that was once part of K-12 education. The social studies curricula that emerged as a result have lacked spatial perspectives, and geographic illiteracy has become rampant. Whether they can attend or not, friends of geography are encouraged to invite their representatives and senators to spend a few minutes in Nurses Hall with this beautiful and educational work of art.Abstract (a summary of what I planned to hope to say)Īs it was taught in mid-twentieth century schools in the United States, geography was so pedantic in its approach and so narrow in its worldview that it was considered progressive to get rid of it. Thinking - bringing Art to STEM education.ĭuring the day, geography students, geography educators, and geography professionals will be visiting the offices of legislators to discuss the importance of geographic literacy, and ways that the Commonwealth can promote it. The hand-painted EarthView globe is also a great example of STEM to STEAM ![]() In geography, after all, the "real world" is a big part of what we do. It is a reminder that geography is an integrative discipline that brings together global thinking and scientific literacy, in ways that learners can apply to daily life. Geography Awareness Day on Beacon Hill will take place on Patriot's Day, in the middle of April vacation week, and in the lead-up to Earth Day. Visits to the State House and other public venues serve to remind everyone of the importance of geography education, during a period in which it is shockingly absent from high-school curricula. Since acquiring the globe in 2008, the BSU team has reached more than 80,000 students - mostly middle-school students - throughout Massachusetts and beyond. By bringing people inside a physical globe of the earth, the project allows people to understand the planet and their connection to it in a different light. ![]() ![]() Project EarthView is a joint endeavor of the Department of Geography and the Center for the Advancement of STEM Education at BSU. The highlight of the visit will be EarthView, a 20-foot inflatable globe of the earth that will be in Nurses Hall from 9 a.m. The Massachusetts Geographic Alliance and Bridgewater State University will be returning to Beacon Hill on Wednesday, Apto celebrate and promote geographic education. This image appears on the first page of the National Standards for geography education. EarthView in Nurses Hall, Massachusetts State Houseīridgewater State University Geography '13 ![]()
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