ERIC Number: ED160523
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1978-Oct
Pages: 19
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Futuristics and Geographic Education.
Janiskee, Robert L.
As geographers incorporate futuristics into geography instruction, they must develop an area of inquiry (geofuturistics) with a clearly defined purpose and direction. Geofuturistics is interpreted as futuristics involving the application of geographic skills, methods, and viewpoints in teaching and research. Although future-oriented research has been more scarce in geography than in other social science disciplines, it is receiving increased emphasis in scholarly research and as a topic at professional geographers' meetings. Trends indicate that geofuturistics education will be acknowledged as an area of geographic specialization and will be offered more frequently in high school and college geography courses. Policies should be developed to guide the use of geofuturistics in the classroom. Specifically, curriculum developers should design materials to help students clarify and evaluate society's values and goals and to realize that the future depends to a great extent upon the present. The conclusion is that geofuturistic education will help students forge a link between education and life if it stresses creative thinking about alternative futures and the use of geographic expertise to effect change. (DB)
Descriptors: Curriculum Development, Curriculum Evaluation, Educational Needs, Educational Objectives, Educational Practices, Educational Trends, Futures (of Society), Geographic Concepts, Geography Instruction, Global Approach, Higher Education, Intellectual Disciplines, Research Needs, Secondary Education, Social Sciences, Student Attitudes, Trend Analysis
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Education Division, World Future Society (Houston, Texas, October 20-22, 1978)