![Sample our Geography journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5937/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Geography.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Geography textbooks contain chapter or review questions that may engage students in spatial thinking. This research used Jo and Bednarz’s (2009) Taxonomy of Spatial Thinking to evaluate the percentage of spatial thinking questions in four university-level world geography course textbooks. The results from this study were then compared to the findings in Jo and Bednarz’s (2009) analysis of high school geography textbooks. Thirty-five percent of university level textbook questions are related to spatial thinking compared to twenty-four percent in high school geography textbooks. The results provide information useful to stakeholders, such as teachers, administrators, and textbook writers and may help these stakeholders to consciously incorporate the three components of spatial thinking as defined by the National Research Council (2006). A simplified taxonomy for identifying spatial-thinking concepts in textbook review questions is also suggested.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Michael A. Scholz
Michael A. Scholz is a visiting instructor of geography at Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota, USA. He teaches multiple sections of world and cultural geography courses. Michael’s research interests are the AP Human Geography course, spatial thinking, curriculum and instruction, and international education.
Niem Tu Huynh
Niem Tu Huynh is a senior researcher at the Association of American Geographers, Washington, D.C., USA. She was the research coordinator on The Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Research Committee report. She is currently involved with learning progressions research that brings together geography, math, and science educators. She also supports evaluation for MyCOE, SERVIR, and GCE projects, manages the Visiting Geographic Scientist Program, and supports the World Geography Bowl organization.
Carmen P. Brysch
Carmen P. Brysch is a geography education doctoral candidate in the Department of Geography at Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA. She is currently serving a one-year appointment as the Grosvenor Scholar at National Geographic Society’s Education Program. Her dissertation research focuses on the efficacy of the online professional development system, Geography: Teaching with the Stars (www.geoteach.org).
Ruojing Wang Scholz
Ruojing Wang Scholz is a Ph.D. student in the geography department at Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA. Her research interests are in space-time modeling, GPS data analysis for human mobility, GIS for urban analysis, and GIS for geography education.