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Where's New York?....Dont ask young americans...
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National
May 2, 2006, 1:29PM
Where's Louisiana? Don't ask a young American
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn't locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn't find Iraq, according to a Roper poll conducted for National Geographic.
"Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic well-being, our relationships with other nations and the environment, and isolates us from the world," National Geographic president John Fahey said in announcing a program to help remedy the problem. It's hoping to enlist businesses, nonprofit groups and educators in a bid to improve geographic literacy.
Planned is a five-year, multimedia campaign called My Wonderful World that will target children 8 to 17. The goal is to motivate parents and educators to expand geographic offerings in school, at home and in their communities.
They will have their task cut out for them, judging by the results of the survey of 510 people interviewed in December and January.
Among the findings:
- One-third of respondents couldn't pinpoint Louisiana on a map and 48 percent were unable to locate Mississippi.
- Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.
- Two-thirds didn't know that the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan.
- Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle East.
- While the outsourcing of jobs to India has been a major U.S. business story, 47 percent could not find the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia.
- While Israeli-Palestinian strife has been in the news for the entire lives of the respondents, 75 percent were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle East.
- Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the most widely spoken native language.
- Six in 10 did not know the border between North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the world. Thirty percent thought the most heavily fortified border was between the United States and Mexico.
Joining in the effort to improve geographic knowledge will be the 4-H, American Federation of Teachers, Asia Society, Association of American Geographers, National Basketball Association, National Council of La Raza, National PTA, Smithsonian Institution and others.
"Geography exposes children and adults to diverse cultures, different ideas and the exchange of knowledge from around the world," said Anna Marie Weselak, president of the National PTA. "This campaign will help make sure our children get their geography - so they can become familiar with other cultures during their school years and move comfortably and confidently in a global economy as adults."
Young Americans Geographically Illiterate, Survey Suggests
John Roach
for National Geographic News
May 2, 2006
Young adults in the United States fail to understand the world and their place in it, according to a survey-based report on geographic literacy released today.
Take Iraq, for example. Despite nearly constant news coverage since the war there began in 2003, 63 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 failed to correctly locate the country on a map of the Middle East. Seventy percent could not find Iran or Israel
RELATED
U.S. Students Improving in Geography, Study Finds (2002)
Survey Reveals Geographic Illiteracy (2002)
Official Survey Site
Nine in ten couldn't find Afghanistan on a map of Asia.
And 54 percent were unaware that Sudan is a country in Africa.
Remember the December 2004 tsunami and the widespread images of devastation in Indonesia?
Three-quarters of respondents failed to find that country on a map. And three-quarters were unaware that a majority of Indonesia's population is Muslim, making it the largest Muslim country in the world.
(See the full report.)
"Young Americans just don't seem to have much interest in the world outside of the U.S.," said David Rutherford, a specialist in geography education at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. (National Geographic News is part of the National Geographic Society.)
New York City-based Roper Public Affairs conducted the survey for the National Geographic Society. In total, Roper carried out 510 interviews between December 17, 2005, and January 20, 2006.
The average respondent answered 54 percent of the questions correctly. (See how you compare: Test yourself with questions from the survey.)
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/roper2006/question_01.html
"Alarming," "Discouraging" Results
"The Roper poll is alarming, as it has been continuously for the past several years," said Douglas Richardson, executive director of the Association of American Geographers in Washington, D.C.
Continued on Next Page >>
<< Back to Page 1 Page 2 of 2
Richardson added that geographic knowledge is essential for survival in our rapidly globalizing world, a notion that is beginning to gain traction at the university level, where enrollment in geography classes is up.
"We need to really now catch up in offering the foundation for students in geography in the middle schools and the high schools," he said.
Survey results published in 2002 were also disappointing.
The 2002 project also surveyed 18- to 24-year-olds in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and Great Britain. The U.S. trailed every other country in that survey, except Mexico, which did only slightly worse. (See the 2002 results.)
"It's discouraging that so many young Americans have so little understanding of the world," said Robert Pastor, vice president of international affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.
Geography Schmeography?
Even for U.S. geography, the survey results are just as dismal.
Half could not find New York State on a map of the United States.
A third of the respondents could not find Louisiana, and 48 percent couldn't locate Mississippi on a map of the United States, even though Hurricane Katrina put these southeastern states in the spotlight in 2005.
Many young Americans also lack basic map-reading skills.
Told they could escape an approaching hurricane by evacuating to the northwest, only two-thirds could indicate which way northwest is on a map.
Perhaps even more worrisome is the finding that few U.S. young adults seem to care.
Fewer than three in ten think it's absolutely necessary to know where countries in the news are located. Only 14 percent believe speaking another language fluently is a necessary skill.
Fewer than one in five young Americans own a world map.
This geographic ineptitude was further emphasized when young Americans were asked questions on how the United States fits into the wider world.
Three in ten respondents put the U.S. population between one and two billion (it's just under 300 million, according the U.S. Census Bureau). Seventy-four percent said English is the most commonly spoken native language in the world (it's Mandarin Chinese).
Although 73 percent knew the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of oil, nearly as many (71 percent) did not know that the U.S. is also the world's largest exporter of goods and services, when measured in terms of monetary value; half think it's China.
And what about India, which features prominently in the job-outsourcing debate? Forty-seven percent of young Americans were unable to locate where their jobs may go on a map of Asia.
Rutherford, who is also a graduate of the Ph.D. program in geographic education at Texas State University in San Marcos, said improving the geographic literacy of tomorrow's leaders is crucial.
"In our country-where the decisions we make on a daily basis have far-reaching ramifications-it is profoundly important for our people to have a better grasp of geographic literacy," he said.
Geography's Place
According to Richardson, of the Association of American Geographers, enrollment in geography courses at the university level is increasing. This indicates that "geography is assuming a more central place in our society."
Part of the upswing in enrollment is driven by increased use of technology, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS). In addition, rapid globalization is forcing students to open their eyes to the rest of the world, he says.
On a positive note, since 2002 the percentage of young Americans who use the Internet for news has more than doubled from 11 percent to 27 percent. Respondents who use the Internet were found to do better on the survey than those who do not.
To further increase geographic literacy at the middle and high school level, the National Geographic Society today announced the launch of a public-engagement campaign called My Wonderful World.
Anchored by a Web site, the campaign provides resources to parents and teachers to help children learn about their world.
And improving student engagement and interest seems to lead to improved knowledge, according to the Roper survey.
"The good news," American University's Pastor said, "is education, travel, and language matter. The young people who have more education, who have traveled outside the country, and who can speak a second language are more likely to answer more questions on the geography survey correctly."
"So it shows Americans are educable, and the only question is whether American teachers will do more to interest their students in more education, language, and study-abroad activities."
Free Email News Updates
Sign up for our Inside National Geographic newsletter. Every two weeks we'll send you our top stories and pictures (see sample).
<< Back to Page 1 Page 2 of 2
May 2, 2006, 1:29PM
Where's Louisiana? Don't ask a young American
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn't locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn't find Iraq, according to a Roper poll conducted for National Geographic.
"Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic well-being, our relationships with other nations and the environment, and isolates us from the world," National Geographic president John Fahey said in announcing a program to help remedy the problem. It's hoping to enlist businesses, nonprofit groups and educators in a bid to improve geographic literacy.
Planned is a five-year, multimedia campaign called My Wonderful World that will target children 8 to 17. The goal is to motivate parents and educators to expand geographic offerings in school, at home and in their communities.
They will have their task cut out for them, judging by the results of the survey of 510 people interviewed in December and January.
Among the findings:
- One-third of respondents couldn't pinpoint Louisiana on a map and 48 percent were unable to locate Mississippi.
- Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.
- Two-thirds didn't know that the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan.
- Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle East.
- While the outsourcing of jobs to India has been a major U.S. business story, 47 percent could not find the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia.
- While Israeli-Palestinian strife has been in the news for the entire lives of the respondents, 75 percent were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle East.
- Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the most widely spoken native language.
- Six in 10 did not know the border between North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the world. Thirty percent thought the most heavily fortified border was between the United States and Mexico.
Joining in the effort to improve geographic knowledge will be the 4-H, American Federation of Teachers, Asia Society, Association of American Geographers, National Basketball Association, National Council of La Raza, National PTA, Smithsonian Institution and others.
"Geography exposes children and adults to diverse cultures, different ideas and the exchange of knowledge from around the world," said Anna Marie Weselak, president of the National PTA. "This campaign will help make sure our children get their geography - so they can become familiar with other cultures during their school years and move comfortably and confidently in a global economy as adults."
Young Americans Geographically Illiterate, Survey Suggests
John Roach
for National Geographic News
May 2, 2006
Young adults in the United States fail to understand the world and their place in it, according to a survey-based report on geographic literacy released today.
Take Iraq, for example. Despite nearly constant news coverage since the war there began in 2003, 63 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 failed to correctly locate the country on a map of the Middle East. Seventy percent could not find Iran or Israel
RELATED
U.S. Students Improving in Geography, Study Finds (2002)
Survey Reveals Geographic Illiteracy (2002)
Official Survey Site
Nine in ten couldn't find Afghanistan on a map of Asia.
And 54 percent were unaware that Sudan is a country in Africa.
Remember the December 2004 tsunami and the widespread images of devastation in Indonesia?
Three-quarters of respondents failed to find that country on a map. And three-quarters were unaware that a majority of Indonesia's population is Muslim, making it the largest Muslim country in the world.
(See the full report.)
"Young Americans just don't seem to have much interest in the world outside of the U.S.," said David Rutherford, a specialist in geography education at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. (National Geographic News is part of the National Geographic Society.)
New York City-based Roper Public Affairs conducted the survey for the National Geographic Society. In total, Roper carried out 510 interviews between December 17, 2005, and January 20, 2006.
The average respondent answered 54 percent of the questions correctly. (See how you compare: Test yourself with questions from the survey.)
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/roper2006/question_01.html
"Alarming," "Discouraging" Results
"The Roper poll is alarming, as it has been continuously for the past several years," said Douglas Richardson, executive director of the Association of American Geographers in Washington, D.C.
Continued on Next Page >>
<< Back to Page 1 Page 2 of 2
Richardson added that geographic knowledge is essential for survival in our rapidly globalizing world, a notion that is beginning to gain traction at the university level, where enrollment in geography classes is up.
"We need to really now catch up in offering the foundation for students in geography in the middle schools and the high schools," he said.
Survey results published in 2002 were also disappointing.
The 2002 project also surveyed 18- to 24-year-olds in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and Great Britain. The U.S. trailed every other country in that survey, except Mexico, which did only slightly worse. (See the 2002 results.)
"It's discouraging that so many young Americans have so little understanding of the world," said Robert Pastor, vice president of international affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.
Geography Schmeography?
Even for U.S. geography, the survey results are just as dismal.
Half could not find New York State on a map of the United States.
A third of the respondents could not find Louisiana, and 48 percent couldn't locate Mississippi on a map of the United States, even though Hurricane Katrina put these southeastern states in the spotlight in 2005.
Many young Americans also lack basic map-reading skills.
Told they could escape an approaching hurricane by evacuating to the northwest, only two-thirds could indicate which way northwest is on a map.
Perhaps even more worrisome is the finding that few U.S. young adults seem to care.
Fewer than three in ten think it's absolutely necessary to know where countries in the news are located. Only 14 percent believe speaking another language fluently is a necessary skill.
Fewer than one in five young Americans own a world map.
This geographic ineptitude was further emphasized when young Americans were asked questions on how the United States fits into the wider world.
Three in ten respondents put the U.S. population between one and two billion (it's just under 300 million, according the U.S. Census Bureau). Seventy-four percent said English is the most commonly spoken native language in the world (it's Mandarin Chinese).
Although 73 percent knew the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of oil, nearly as many (71 percent) did not know that the U.S. is also the world's largest exporter of goods and services, when measured in terms of monetary value; half think it's China.
And what about India, which features prominently in the job-outsourcing debate? Forty-seven percent of young Americans were unable to locate where their jobs may go on a map of Asia.
Rutherford, who is also a graduate of the Ph.D. program in geographic education at Texas State University in San Marcos, said improving the geographic literacy of tomorrow's leaders is crucial.
"In our country-where the decisions we make on a daily basis have far-reaching ramifications-it is profoundly important for our people to have a better grasp of geographic literacy," he said.
Geography's Place
According to Richardson, of the Association of American Geographers, enrollment in geography courses at the university level is increasing. This indicates that "geography is assuming a more central place in our society."
Part of the upswing in enrollment is driven by increased use of technology, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS). In addition, rapid globalization is forcing students to open their eyes to the rest of the world, he says.
On a positive note, since 2002 the percentage of young Americans who use the Internet for news has more than doubled from 11 percent to 27 percent. Respondents who use the Internet were found to do better on the survey than those who do not.
To further increase geographic literacy at the middle and high school level, the National Geographic Society today announced the launch of a public-engagement campaign called My Wonderful World.
Anchored by a Web site, the campaign provides resources to parents and teachers to help children learn about their world.
And improving student engagement and interest seems to lead to improved knowledge, according to the Roper survey.
"The good news," American University's Pastor said, "is education, travel, and language matter. The young people who have more education, who have traveled outside the country, and who can speak a second language are more likely to answer more questions on the geography survey correctly."
"So it shows Americans are educable, and the only question is whether American teachers will do more to interest their students in more education, language, and study-abroad activities."
Free Email News Updates
Sign up for our Inside National Geographic newsletter. Every two weeks we'll send you our top stories and pictures (see sample).
<< Back to Page 1 Page 2 of 2
Comments
I'm shocked by the number of assignments my kids have that require the assistance of a PC. What about families that don't have one?
State standards have gotten tougher, or so they say. I don't think my kids are learning half as much as we did when we were their age. They can regurgetate information, but not taught how to use their minds, how to acess that natural curiosity. Certainly they have more information available to them, I just don't think that they are taught how to use it.
And that, I think is the typical response.....Not just who cares where New York is, but Who Cares?..
If its not about them,(me, me, me ) then WHO CARES?...
A once great country, leading in almost everything, and now a simple question about a city in our own country cant be answered by its citizens?...Sad..
Most of them couldn't count to 50
Most of them would be wearing $150 tennis shoes
Most of them could download music
Most of them have one parent
Marx said something about..."Give me the Children..."..ect...
Thinking, reasoning individuals cannot be driven..they can be led by intelligent, reasoning adults..
Stupid, dull-witted slaves can be driven anywhere..to do anything ordered to do....
Consign your most precious jewels to Socialists..the NEA...and the fedgov...that sounds like a plan, all right....