Geography's American constituency: results from the AGS geographic knowledge and values survey

Abstract

Does geography have an American constituency? Setbacks for the discipline at all levels of education over the past 65 years would suggest that geography is universally unpopular in the United States, but is that really true? The American Geographical Society (AGS) polled adult US residents on their understanding of the discipline itself and appreciation for geography and geographic education. Responses to the AGS Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey overwhelmingly indicate that a strong pro-geography constituency does exist, though at present it can only be proven within a specific cohort consisting of adult US residents who are more female, more educated, and less ethnically and racially diverse than the overall population. Respondents in this cohort overwhelmingly support expanded geographic education within the US, but overall knowledge regarding key geographic concepts and the discipline itself is weak. The results have policy implications for all education levels and strengthen the case for increased funding of geographic education.

Keywords:

• geography education
• geo-literacy
• public opinion
• geography curriculum

Acknowledgements

We sincerely appreciate the many colleagues who helped design, administer, and conduct the American Geographical Society (AGS) Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey and publish its results. Officers and Councilors of the AGS assisted in composing questions. Road Map Project team members reviewed both drafts and gave good advice. In particular, Susan W. Hardwick and Alexander B. Murphy of the University of Oregon and Dorothy Drummond of Indiana State University reviewed the questionnaire and draft report and offered many excellent suggestions. William R. Wells and Don Haynes of the Schaefer Center for Public Policy, University of Baltimore administered the survey. Spatial statisticians Greg Biging, University of California, Berkeley; Russ Congalton, University of New Hampshire; and Terry Slocum, University of Kansas reviewed our analysis methods and draft report. We are especially thankful to the network of AGS volunteers who reviewed the questionnaire, ran the survey in each state or region of the country, and reviewed the final report: Heather Almquist, Chris Badurek, Frederick L. Bein, Jason Black, Stan Brunn, Teresa L. Bulman, Christine Castagna, Jacquelyn Chase, Easther Chigumira, Craig Colten, Robin E. Datel, Carol Delong, Chris Drake, Dorothy Drummond, Matt Dunbar, Leslie Duram, Doug Foster, Christina Friedle, Dan Gade, Erin Garity, Jerry Gerlach, Fritz Gritzner, Sarah Halvorson, John Harrington, Jr., Gretchen Hill, Susan Hume, Edward L. Jackiewicz, Steve Jennings, Brendan J. Kelly, Thomas Klak, Kathy Kozenski, Matt Lewis, Peter Lewis, Thomas Lewis, Carley Lovorn, James Lowry, Rachel Magario, Sallie Marston, Kent Mathewson, Blake Mayberry, John Menary, E. Joan Miller, Peter Mires, Jerry Mitchell, Laurie Molina, Monika Moskal, Jeffrey Osleeb, Roger Pearson, Tom Ptak, Eugenie Rovai, David Rutherford, Kathleen Schroeder, Marilyn Silberfein, William R. Strong, Nancy Summers, Rebecca Theobald, George W. White, Siri Wickramaratne, James E. Wiley, Leon Yacher, Sonja Yow, and Jenny Zorn. We appreciate the encouragement and advice of Joseph Stoltman of Western Michigan University and the instructive comments of anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the National Science Foundation through the National Geographic Society's “Geographic Literacy” [grant, prime contract number DRL-1049437].