Provides practical advice on how to construct social surveys. Reviews ethical problems, sampling bias, problems of nonresponse, and the merits of self-completion versus interview surveys. A brief bibliography is attached. (JDH)

By analyzing nineteenth-century mental health data, college level geography students discover the concept of distance decay, which describes the decrease in intensity of a phenomenon with increasing distance from some central place. (RM)

Argues that geography can be made more relevant in today's social studies if it is presented as the study of the environmental impact of culture. This theme is illustrated by contrasting cultural influences which shaped the physically similar east and southeastern regions of China and the U.S. (JDH)

Since at least the 1950s, political scientists have tended to ignore the possible contributions of political geography to political science because of a move away from considering spatial factors on political structure. Political scientists need to use more information from geography to enhance their understanding of political power and conflict.…

Educators from around the state, with the help of The Vermont Institutes, developed Vermont History and Social Sciences Grade Cluster Expectations (GCEs) as a means to identify the content knowledge and skills expected of all students for local assessment required under Act 68. This work was accomplished using the "Vermont's Framework of…

In this exercise students examine data on the racial distribution within the thirteen junior high schools of Fresno. Then upon discovering evidence of de facto segregation, students research, discuss, and present plans for desegregating the city junior high schools. (Author)

Shows how the topic of McDonald's expansion abroad may be used by college instructors in cultural geography courses to illustrate themes such as the dynamics of cultural diffusion and change. McDonald's history of international expansion is described. (AM)

The globalization of the human condition challenges the way we educate children about the world. This article describes the way in which human affairs have been transformed globally, with accelerated changes (represented by a J curve) taking place in the twentieth century. (Author/WD)

Notwithstanding its iconic status within geography, the debate continues about how fieldwork should be taught to undergraduate students. The authors engage with this debate and argue that field studies should follow the teaching of research methodology. In this paper they review relevant literature on the place of fieldwork in geography training,…

This study examines from a geographical perspective the factors that impact the performance of public elementary schools in New York City during 2001-2005, a period when its schools were undergoing major reforms at both the local and national level. Education reforms have focused their attention on schools by increasing their responsibility and…

This paper reflects on the use of digital photography in urban-based human geography fieldwork. It draws on the authors' experience of introducing digital photography into the teaching and assessment of a level 3 undergraduate field course in Berlin. To begin they outline how they sought to use simple digital technologies in order to facilitate…

This article presents the reflections of a new instructor of economic geography in the USA. The author offers practical advice for designing and delivering a course for the first time. Suggestions are given in support of the view that sharing knowledge of effective teaching practices is an important component of mentoring early-career faculty. By…

This revised annotated bibliography about geography concentrates on reference materials located in the McLennan Library of McGill University (Montreal, Quebec), and it emphasizes human rather than physical geography. The resources are presented in nine areas: (1) guides to the literature; (2) dictionaries; (3) gazeteers and place names; (4)…

This article provides a short history of political events in Argentina and a look at the people, geography, and economy of the country in order to consider current relations between Argentina and the United States. (JH)