GEOADMIN reads the recent news...
The Memorial University story about their student lacking world geography map skill seems sensational!
... Nothing was said that History and Math also have the same fact-recall issues with students.
The Canadian media coast to coast literally ran with the story.
Liberal use of generalizations made the problem national, and placed all Canadian geography students under a cloud of suspicion!
A more valid conclusion may be that not all of Canada, but only Memorial geography students are poor at world geography!
Now we hear Newfoundland spends 50% more per person on average compared to the rest of Canada!!
More info is needed about geography recall in other provinces to make the issue national!
Makes one wonder about tactics and research grants!
Interesting to now learn the CAG 2013 annual meeting is being held at Memorial University!!
Notes:
Memorial University - Ranked 5th amongst Canadian comprehensive universities in 2012 by Macleans.
CAG - Canadian Association of Geographers.
Thoughts? Share your comments below.
The issue of fact-recall is very true. It may be closely connected to pedadogy, which may in fact be a confounding variable. Just my two cents.
ReplyDeleteTeaching students to think rather than recall facts is the best solution.
ReplyDelete