March 07, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. -Dr. David Keeling, head of Western Kentucky University’s Department of Geography and Geology, has had an op-ed article published recently that addresses the problems of a geographically illiterate America.
“Geographical Ignorance Limits America’s Opportunities” was featured in the Henderson (Ky.) Gleaner on March 3 and in the Northwest Arkansas Times on Feb. 26.
The themes of the op-ed piece also featured prominently in an editorial in the Oxford (Miss.) Eagle (http://www.oxfordeagle.com/archives/2007/0207/022607-022807/022807/opinions1.html) on Feb. 28 that discussed the results of a survey of the newspaper’s staff members to see how they compared to national statistics on geographic literacy.
Dr. Keeling argues in the op-ed that Americans need to be more aware of their role in the global system and to have a better understanding of the peoples and places affected by U.S. policies. The challenge for universities like WKU that aim to prepare students for success in a global society is to find creative ways of helping to build a geographically informed student population in the P-12 environment. Working in partnership with the Teacher Education program, and supported by the Kentucky Geographical Alliance, the Department of Geography and Geology is designing new courses and programs for P-12 teachers that can help to build competency in the geosciences.
Dr. Keeling is a member of the American Geographical Society’s Writers Circle. The AGS is America’s oldest geographical organization. Its mission is to link business, professional and scholarly worlds in the creation and application of geographical knowledge and techniques to address economic, social and environmental programs. By distributing op-ed essays, Dr. Keeling and the AGS hope to encourage greater public discussion of geographical issues critical to society.
To learn more about geographic education and the issues addressed in these articles, visit the AGS website at www.amergeog.org. Additional geography resources for teachers, students and parents are available at www.kga.org.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact David Keeling at (270) 745-4555.
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