Some thoughts about a new international geography test

Abstract

An important question for geography teachers all over the world is how to define, stimulate and test geographical literacy. Although modern technology is no guarantee of quality, it offers new possibilities for teaching and testing, as can be seen in contemporary geography learning/teaching units using digital maps and interactive tests. The Charter of the IGU Commission on Geographical Education and tests such as the International Geography Olympiad can be starting points for an international discussion about the quality of geography teaching and for the development of a new international geography test.

Young people's world-mindedness and the global dimension in their geography education: a comparative study of upper secondary school students’ ideas in Finland, Germany and the Netherlands

“…In response to the fact that many test takers may struggle to locate important countries on a world map, geography educators would say that such quizzes reinforce the public notion that geography is simply about topographical knowledge and that geography education is about more than just getting the 'basic knowledge' right. As van der Schee, Notté, and Zwartjes (2010) have noted, geography helps students not only by providing facts about the world but also by helping them to understand everyday life in the world. Geographical education is supposed to provide young people with learning experiences that help them to develop geographical understanding, geographical skills and generic attitudes and values for their personal, professional and general life as citizens in an increasingly globalizing society (Geographical Association, 2009;Lambert & Morgan, 2010;Morgan, 2011).…”

Possibilities for an international assessment in geography

“…The second and third questions were in direct response to the provocation by the IRGEE editors (Stoltman, Lidstone & Kidman, 2014).…”

“…Seventy per cent of the test items were knowledge based, with a small proportion of the items (2%) assessing skills. Despite problems with sampling and curriculum validity, test data provided valuable insights regarding general patterns of achievement in geography worldwide (van der Schee & Kolkman, 2010).…”

“…At present, geography is not on the "international assessment map" and the International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education (IRGEE) editors suggest that a coordinated effort should be made by academic and professional associations to advocate for the inclusion of geography (Stoltman, Lidstone, & Kidman, 2014). These editors maintain that geography, which has an international heritage, would benefit from worldwide comparative data, giving the subject the same status or recognition as mathematics and science.…”

3D Landform Modeling to Enhance Geospatial Thinking

“…This basic knowledge also aids in the improvement of geographic literacy, a term defined by the United Nations [41,42] as "the competence of individuals to recognize geographic space, as well as the ability to understand, process, and utilize the basic skills of geography". Since 2010, the use of geovisualization tools in an electronic environment has been proposed to measure geographic literacy [43].…”