BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//National Council for Geographic Education - ECPv6.18.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ncge.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for National Council for Geographic Education
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Chicago
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:CDT
DTSTART:20250309T080000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:CST
DTSTART:20251102T070000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:CDT
DTSTART:20260308T080000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:CST
DTSTART:20261101T070000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:CDT
DTSTART:20270314T080000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:CST
DTSTART:20271107T070000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T174000
DTSTAMP:20260528T171449Z
CREATED:20260528T171449Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T171449Z
UID:10000465-1792256400-1792258800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:The Making of “My Maryland”: An Interactive State Atlas for Educators
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nComputer mapping using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) has become the way all modern maps are made\, and GIS has become much more accessible and easier to use. This session introduces a new interactive GIS atlas of Maryland designed to support geographic learning through inquiry and spatial thinking. Developed for middle school and high school classrooms\, “My Maryland” provides students and teachers with a set of thematic maps focused on Maryland’s unique human and physical geography. Embedded with geospatial tools\, the atlas includes map layers that highlight Maryland’s demographics\, history\, elections\, infrastructure\, and physical environment. Participants will explore the atlas to formulate geographic questions\, analyze maps\, and communicate claims based on evidence. In addition\, opportunities for interdisciplinary connections and civic engagement will be offered. The session closes with a discussion of how to get started with creating a GIS atlas for your state. \nSession Focus\nMiddle School/Junior High | Geospatial Technology  | U.S. Focused \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nTodd Kenreich is a professor of secondary and middle school education at Towson University in Maryland\, and he is the co-director of the Maryland Geographic Alliance.\nHis interests chiefly lie in the areas of geography education and global citizenship education. With a range of international experiences\, Kenreich seeks to prepare cosmopolitan teachers who can help their students more deeply understand the world and their community. At Towson\, he directs Global Citizenship in Education\, a graduate certificate program for teachers. In 2008\, he was named a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Japan. He has published articles in journals such as Theory and Research in Social Education\, Journal of Geography\, The Geography Teacher\, and Social Studies Research and Practice. He edited Geography and Social Justice in the Classroom\, a volume for the Routledge Research in Education book series. \nDr. Brandon J. Beck is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Social Studies and Africana Studies Affiliate Faculty at UMBC. After earning his Ph.D. from Clemson University in 2025\, he joined UMBC to teach courses in social studies foundations and preservice teacher preparation. His research explores the history of Black education\, community- based pedagogies\, and the use of oral histories to foster reparative social justice. As a social studies education and history of Black education scholar\, Dr. Beck draws on his experience as a former middle school department chair to advocate for culturally sustainable classrooms. \nCathy Cooper earned an M.A. in geography at The George Washington University\, and then a Ph.D. in geography education from Texas State University. In 2009-2010\, she served as a Grosvenor Scholar. For four years\, she coordinated “Mapping Maryland\,” an annual student map competition. Now she enjoys living in a retirement community in Easton\, Maryland. The Eastern Shore provides many occasions and entertainments as well as enjoyable opportunities to practice “geographic exercises” around both physical and cultural lessons. She points out to friends the opportunities of being aware of “thinking geographically.” She enjoys reading articles in the NCGE journals as well as re-reading around some favorite chapters of geographers’ books. She enjoys the study of geography and enjoys sharing observations whether near at hand or farther afield. \nMartin Schmidt teaches science at the McDonogh School in Owings Mills\, Maryland. He developed an interest in GIS in his work since 1978 as a science teacher\, and realized computer mapping is also an excellent tool for geography\, social studies\, and other disciplines. He helps teachers of any subject develop maps they can use with their students\, and learn skills to create exactly the maps they want to engage students in studying our fascinating and varied Earth.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/the-making-of-my-maryland-an-interactive-state-atlas-for-educators/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T160500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T164500
DTSTAMP:20260627T233844Z
CREATED:20260528T163121Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T233844Z
UID:10000461-1792253100-1792255500@ncge.org
SUMMARY:From Plate Tectonics to Trade Routes: Geography Across Big History
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn this interactive session\, explore how OER Project: Big History helps middle school students investigate 4.5 billion years of change through a geographic lens. From plate tectonics and biomes to trade routes\, migration\, and industrialization\, participants will examine how physical landscapes shape human possibility.\n \nPresenters will model strategies for teaching Big History at key “thresholds” of complexity while aligning instruction to the National Geography Standards. Attendees will engage with classroom-ready materials and collaborate on ways to integrate spatial thinking into interdisciplinary history courses.  \nJoin us to explore how teaching on geography’s “fall lines” can help students see the powerful connections between Earth’s evolution and the human story—and better understand the forces shaping our shared future. \nSession Focus\nMiddle School/Junior High | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nBennett Sherry is a senior content manager at OER Project\, where he helps develop content for all courses\, including the creation of a series of political and thematic world maps. Bennett holds a PhD in history from the University of Pittsburgh and has undergraduate teaching experience in world history\, human rights\, and the Middle East. Bennett writes about refugees and international organizations in the twentieth century. \n  \nChelsea Katzenberg\, Bridgette O’Connor\, and Bennett Sherry
URL:https://ncge.org/event/from-plate-tectonics-to-trade-routes-geography-across-big-history/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T151000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T155000
DTSTAMP:20260528T153137Z
CREATED:20260528T153137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T153137Z
UID:10000456-1792249800-1792252200@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Beyond the Map: Building "Geography Trunks" with Children’s Literature for Adolescent Inquiry
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nWhy do the Five Themes of Geography often feel like a flat checklist of definitions rather than a dynamic lens for understanding the world? Too often\, geography instruction in the secondary classroom stops at memorization\, leaving students disconnected from the human stories behind the maps. This hands-on workshop seeks to enliven the geographic experience by integrating culturally rich\, award-winning children’s literature into adolescent inquiry. \nParticipants will go beyond simply exploring a curated “Geography Trunk”—they will learn the methodology to design and build their own. By analyzing a wide breadth and depth of cultural narratives\, attendees will discover how to select texts that offer deep cultural experiences while illustrating how the Five Themes impact us all. Using visual literacy strategies\, we will demonstrate how to transform these stories into vibrant tools for critical thinking. You will leave with a curated bibliography\, a “Trunk” blueprint\, and the tools to move your students beyond the definitions and into the heart of global citizenship. \nSession Focus\nMiddle School/Junior High | Human and Cultural Geography | Inquiry \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nKendra Miller is a middle school social studies teacher at Providence Christian Academy and an executive board member for the Tennessee Council for Social Studies. A seasoned presenter\, she frequently shares her expertise at national\, state\, and local conferences within the social studies and education sectors. \nCurrently\, Kendra is a PhD student at Middle Tennessee State University studying Literacy Studies with an emphasis on Literacy Instruction and Staff Development. Her work bridges classroom practice and academic research\, focusing on the intersection of literacy and social studies education.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/beyond-the-map-building-geography-trunks-with-childrens-literature-for-adolescent-inquiry/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T145500
DTSTAMP:20261006T225308Z
CREATED:20260528T170408Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261006T225308Z
UID:10000464-1792246500-1792248900@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Enhancing Geographic Consciousness with Curriculum Artifacts and Vignettes
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis session is geared toward teachers and teacher educators who want to think more strategically about improving teachers’ abilities to plan a critically-oriented geography curriculum. With the goal of exploring and advancing notions of geographic consciousness\, the session offers examples and insights from a Miller-funded geography education research project. The project sought to understand the extent to which two pedagogical tools (curriculum artifacts and vignettes) could improve secondary teachers’ geographic “knowledge work” and “curriculum thinking.”\n\nSession participants will explore/ discuss sample curriculum artifacts and vignettes in consideration of their utility for both pre-service teacher education faculty and practicing educators. Findings will demonstrate the extent to which educators were able to use geographic (disciplinary) knowledge to both understand and challenge the logics of society and environment in their lessons (and therefore enhance students’ geographic consciousness).\n\nGiven the contentious political and environmental times we are living\, positioning geography as a visible and critical component of the social studies is more important than ever. The session asks audience members to a) consider this positioning within teacher education and b) re/consider how we first prepare\, and then later develop\, geography teachers. Importantly\, both require enhancing teachers’ abilities to recontextualize critical elements from the discipline for K12 classrooms. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | Physical & Environmental Geography\, Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nKelly León is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB). Previously she worked in teacher education at San Diego State and for 19 years\, as a social studies/human geography teacher for a large urban school district\, where she led efforts to reconceptualize and update her district’s required geography course. Kelly completed her undergraduate degree\, bilingual teaching credential\, and M.E.d in Policy Studies in Language & Cross-Cultural Education at San Diego State University and her PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. Her research interests include geography education\, educational/social justice\, and teachers’ knowledge work and curriculum-making
URL:https://ncge.org/event/enhancing-geographic-consciousness-with-curriculum-artifacts-and-vignettes/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T100500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T104500
DTSTAMP:20261008T143032Z
CREATED:20260524T210911Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261008T143032Z
UID:10000447-1792231500-1792233900@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Reawakening the Stealth Geography Approach in a Persistent Battleground: Elementary Education
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn the early 2000s\, integrating geography and literacy at the elementary level garnered attention (Gandy\, 2006; Holloway\, 2015) in the wake of NCLB and the College and Career Readiness Standards. The need for such calls further intensified in the wake of recent nationwide science of reading initiatives and persistent standardized testing. Consequently\, elementary teachers’ time constraints further marginalize elementary-level geography. As a result\, a stealth approach that integrates Geography with literacy is required to provide meaningful geography instruction in elementary grades (Sekeres & Gregg\, 2008). As noted in the Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education\, “Geography should be taught wherever it is found – whether in math\, science\, social studies\, literature\, technology\, or the arts” (Bednarz et al. 2013\, p. 10) \nThis presentation will provide a threefold approach to address marginalization in elementary-level geography. First\, reviewing previous scholarly advances in integrating geography and children’s literature offers a clear way forward. Second\, examples of effective integration of literature with the Geography for Life Six Essential Elements will be demonstrated. Third\, participants will receive an introductory list of elementary geography children’s books and additional resources to empower teachers and teacher educators to integrate elementary geography into quality children’s literature. \nSession Focus\nEarly Childhood/Elementary | Geography for Life | Literacy \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nJayson Evaniuck is currently Associate Professor of Social Studies and Chair of Educational Specialties at Anderson University in South Carolina. He holds degrees in geography education from the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Oregon\,and a terminal degree in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership. Prior to his work in higher education\, Jayson has 16 years’ experience teaching high school World Geography and History\, AP Human Geography\, and AP World History in Tennessee.   J \nJayson Evaniuck’s research interests are three-fold: educational history \, teacher education\, and social studies education. At the educational foundations level\, he is interested in Harry S. Broudy’s educational thought\, Michael Polanyi\, and American curriculum history. Within teacher education\, he is currently interested in arts and literature integration within social studies teaching and normative and value-infused teaching. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/reawakening-the-stealth-geography-approach-in-a-persistent-battleground-elementary-education/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T091000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T095000
DTSTAMP:20260628T002631Z
CREATED:20260627T235515Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260628T002631Z
UID:10000444-1792228200-1792230600@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Mapping Learning: Using Survey123 to Create Student-Generated Content Across Disciplines
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn this session\, we’ll explore how Survey123 can be used to design authentic\, student-generated content experiences across a range of subjects — from World Languages and Geography to History and Psychology — in both K–12 and higher education settings. Participants will walk away with concrete examples of classroom-ready Survey123 projects that challenge students to observe\, collect\, and analyze real-world data in ways that deepen geographic understanding and cross-disciplinary connections.\nWhether you’re new to GIS tools or looking to expand your current practice\, this session will show you how a simple form can become a powerful lens for inquiry-based learning — right at the fall line between traditional instruction and the student-centered classroom of the future. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | Geospatial Technology | Inquiry \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenter\nShana Crosson is a former Social Studies teacher turned geospatial technology consultant at the University of Minnesota\, now focusing on integrating geospatial technologies and spatial thinking across the curriculum in higher education and in K-12. \nJessica Bateman Winkelaar holds a PhD in Social Studies Education and has been a social studies educator since 1995. She has spent most of her career as a middle school teacher and is currently teaching seventh grade World Geography. She serves on the Steering Committee for the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE).
URL:https://ncge.org/event/mapping-learning-using-survey123-to-create-student-generated-content-across-disciplines/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T082500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T085500
DTSTAMP:20261007T221738Z
CREATED:20260524T193253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T221738Z
UID:10000438-1792225500-1792227300@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Teaching Teachers to ‘See’ Place: Integrating Geospatial Technology to Transform Elementary Teacher
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis sessions explains how to easily integrate Survey123 and ArcView GIS into interdisciplinary elementary education to learn about environmental education through a human-environment lens. This study was about preservice teachers\, but is applicable to any level of education. Additionally\, it could be used to explore the environment along the Fall Line\, as well as other regions. Importantly\, this presentation shares how preservice teachers were exposed to developing a broader sense of place and the environment in which students live \nSession Focus \nAll Grade Levels | Physical & Environmental Geography |  STEM \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nDr. Mary D. Curtis is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the College of Education where she coordinates the Social Studies teacher preparation program. Dr. Curtis is a geography educator with over 20 years of experience and service from local to international levels. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for the Association of American Geographers Geography Education Specialty Group and as Associate Editor for the Journal of Geography.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/teaching-teachers-to-see-place-integrating-geospatial-technology-to-transform-elementary-teacher/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T161500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T164500
DTSTAMP:20260524T173926Z
CREATED:20260524T173926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T173926Z
UID:10000432-1792167300-1792169100@ncge.org
SUMMARY:How Students Can Apply “The Ten Steps of Walkability” to Evaluate Any Downtown
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn his book\, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America\, One Step at a Time (2012)\, Jeff Speck offers ten planning steps for creating American downtowns that are useful\, safe\, comfortable\, and interesting. While the ten steps emphasize walkability\, they include improvements to land use\, public transit\, bicycle use\, and traffic flow. In this presentation\, I demonstrate how to use Speck’s “Ten Steps” to design a downtown field exercise for university geography students. After reading and discussing the ten steps\, my students participated in a guided walk of downtown Edwardsville\, Illinois\, to collect notes and photos of their observations. They were instructed to answer two questions as they wrote up their results: (1) What does the city do well to promote walkability? and (2) How could walkability in downtown be improved? The assignment concluded with a short paper and an in-class discussion of their results. The surprising outcome of this discussion was students’ desire to learn more about the planning decisions behind what they saw in the field. Applying Speck’s “Ten Steps” gives students the structure to make sense of their field observations and draw meaningful conclusions. \nSession Focus\nHigher Education | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nDr. Susan Hume is a professor in the Department of Geography & GIS at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She believes in the power of field study in geographic education and has made field-based assignments an integral part of her urban geography and sustainable transportation courses. Susan is a lifetime member and past president of NCGE. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/how-students-can-apply-the-ten-steps-of-walkability-to-evaluate-any-downtown/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T151500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T154500
DTSTAMP:20261006T220201Z
CREATED:20260524T171929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261006T220201Z
UID:10000430-1792163700-1792165500@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Stories of the Chesapeake
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nStories of the Chesapeake offers a compelling glimpse into the cultures\, communities\, and environmental challenges of America’s estuary\, the Chesapeake Bay. As one of the nation’s most important natural laboratories for geographic inquiry\, the region provides a powerful example of how physical landscapes and human systems interact across space and time. Stretching across six states and the District of Columbia\, the Bay’s vast watershed is shaped by rivers that meander toward the Atlantic\, carrying sediment\, nutrients\, and pollution. These waterways reveal critical connections among land use\, urban planning\, agriculture\, food systems\, water quality\, and climate change. \nThe Chesapeake Bay is also deeply connected to life along the Fall Line—the natural boundary where the Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain—where cities emerged and commerce flourished. From Old Point Comfort to pivotal moments such as the War of 1812\, the presentation highlights the Bay’s layered geography and enduring significance. Together\, these stories illuminate a dynamic system that continues to shape the environmental\, economic\, and cultural identity of the region. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | America250 through a Geographic Lens\, Physical & Environmental Geography\, Human and Cultural Geography | World/International \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nMichael Allen\, Ph.D.\, is an Associate Professor of Geography at Towson University\, 2023 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Serbia\, and President-Elect of the International Society of Biometeorology. Prior\, he served as co-coordinator of the Virginia Geographic Alliance and Geography Program Director at Old Dominion University. Since 2019\, Michael has coordinated the Chesapeake Bay Climate Institute\, a hands-on professional development experience highlighting America’s Estuary\, drawing linkages between APHG and other disciplines to the issue of climate change and resilience.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/stories-of-the-chesapeake/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T150000
DTSTAMP:20260614T210158Z
CREATED:20260524T163419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260614T210158Z
UID:10000426-1792161000-1792162800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:International Efforts to Improve Geography Teaching and Learning
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis presentation focuses on an upcoming book – International Perspectives on Geography Education (Edward Elgar\, 2026) – that highlights the actions taken by geography educators who work to improve the teaching and learning of geographic content. Much that is published in geography education today is pessimistic and bemoans the status of the discipline compared to other academic areas\, the difficulty in training quality geography teachers\, and the poor performance of students with the subject’s content and skills (such as map reading\, analysis\, and construction). While these challenges are certainly present\, this book seeks to highlight the successes seen in three main areas: student learning\, teacher preparation\, and teacher professional development. The book is\, therefore\, one that is positive\, optimistic\, and showcases for the reader actions that are worth emulating in other places. The presenter will share the successes of authors representing Australia\, Belize\, Brazil\, Chile\, Czechia\, Germany\, South Africa\, Singapore\, and the United States \nSession Focus\nHigher Education | Geography for Life | World/International  \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nJerry Mitchell is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography at the University of South Carolina. He is a past president of the NCGE and a Fellow of the American Association of Geographers.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/international-efforts-to-improve-geography-teaching-and-learning/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T133000
DTSTAMP:20260614T205908Z
CREATED:20260524T160709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260614T205908Z
UID:10000423-1792155600-1792157400@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Kickin' it Old School with Hands-on Learning tools
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis strategy is especially powerful in Human and Cultural Geography because it mirrors the way geographers analyze patterns\, relationships\, and spatial organization. In human geography\, students are constantly asked to categorize economic activities\, compare demographic trends\, evaluate political boundaries\, and interpret cultural diffusion. “Sorts” make these abstract processes tangible. \nWhen students physically group migration examples into push and pull factors\, classify agricultural systems by level of development\, or organize countries by demographic stage\, they are practicing core geographic thinking skills: pattern recognition\, scale analysis\, regional comparison\, and cause-and-effect reasoning. The discussion that emerges requires them to defend claims using evidence and precise vocabulary — reinforcing disciplinary literacy. \nThis strategy is especially powerful in Human and Cultural Geography because it mirrors the way geographers analyze patterns\, relationships\, and spatial organization. In human geography\, students are constantly asked to categorize economic activities\, compare demographic trends\, evaluate political boundaries\, and interpret cultural diffusion. “Sorts” make these abstract processes tangible. \nBy turning spatial analysis into a collaborative\, tactile experience\, “sorts” help students actively construct geographic understanding rather than passively receive it\, strengthening both conceptual mastery and critical thinking. \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | Assessment \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nJim Dzialo\, Kolleen Madeck and Greg Sherwin have a combined 60 years of classroom experience across a multitude of disciplines\, including Human Geography\, Government\, Economics\, and Sociology. Beyond our own classrooms\, we have a long-standing commitment to the profession\, having designed and led professional development workshops focused on student-centered learning. Currently\, we are dedicated to evolving our curriculum through the lens of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and inquiry\, ensuring our students aren’t just learners\, but active investigators of the world around them. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/kickin-it-old-school-with-hands-on-learning-tools/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR