TODAY’S PRESENTATION …

THE PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF GEOGRAPHY, COMPREHENSION OF GEOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY IN CANADA Conducted For: May, 2005

TODAY’S PRESENTATION … • Background - Purpose of Research • Research Objectives • Research Design • Detailed Report on Research… • Attitudes Toward Geography • The Relative Importance of Geography • Measures of Geographic Literacy • Does Geographic Literacy Correlate With Economic Success? • Strategic Implications * * * * *

BACKGROUND - PURPOSE OF RESEARCH The purpose of this research is to provide a base of insight that will support the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in its endeavour to raise the profile of geographic literacy in the minds of Canadians, to promote the importance of geographic literacy and, thus, to stimulate a greater emphasis on geography in the classrooms of Canadian schools.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES • Measure attitudes in various segments of the Canadian population toward the importance of geographic literacy and the perceived value of geographic knowledge. • Validate a range of hypotheses about the importance of geographic knowledge, compared to knowledge in other disciplines and topic areas. • Benchmark geographic literacy levels nationally and regionally. • Search for empirical evidence that geographic literacy correlates with economic success. • Provide insights relevant to optimal executional guidelines and communications objectives to raise public awareness of the importance of geographic literacy.

RESEARCH DESIGN • A national random sample of 2,106 Canadians 18+ years of age. • Data collection was done “on-line” over the internet. Prospects from a large panel of Canadians were recruited by e-mail to participate in the study, being offered as an incentive the opportunity to win $750. • Qualifying respondents completed an on-line, self-administered questionnaire which included appropriate geographic visuals. • Sample distribution comprised three “target” sub-groups… • “Young Adults” (18 to 24, no school-age children) • “Parents or Guardians” (adults having / responsible for school-age children) • “Other Adults” (having no responsibility for school-age children) • Sub-group components of the final sample of 2,106 Canadians were weighted to reflect correct demographic, regional and target sub-group proportionality in the total sample. • Sample SizeActual Weighted “Young Adults” 492 245 “Parents/Guardians” 783 852 “Other Adults” 831 1,009 • Data collection occurred between April 18 and April 25, 2005. • Detailed cross-tabulated data tables have been created from the information collected in this research and are the basis of this analysis.

DETAILED REPORT ON RESEARCH…

ATTITUDES TOWARD GEOGRAPHY ...

ATTITUDES TOWARD GEOGRAPHY ... A “To succeed in today’s global economy, it’s important to understand other cultures and places” B “It’s important to have knowledge of other countries to better understand Canada’s multi-cultural society” C “Geography plays an important role in understanding the environment” D “It’s really important for all Canadian children to gain a high degree of geographic knowledge” E “Students should be taught more geography and history” F “To succeed in today’s global economy, it’s important to understand the spatial relationship between different places” G “Geography plays a pivotal role in Canada’s participation on the world stage” H “If students are to leave school equipped to earn a decent living, they need to have a basic understanding of geography” J “The growth of the global economy relies on understanding the world’s geography” K “A strong education in geography opens the door to interesting jobs” L “Society places little value on geographic knowledge” M “Canada is a country more defined by its geography than by its history” N “There is too much teaching emphasis in schools on math and science and not enough about the world around us” Base: Total Adult Canadians

THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF GEOGRAPHY ...

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... 5% Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... BY MARKET SEGMENT… YOUNG PARENTS OTHER ADULTS/GUARDIANSADULTS • K - Gr. 5 5% 1% < 1% • Gr. 6 - 8 5% 4% 6% • Gr. 9 - 10 40% 30% 23% • Gr. 11 - 12 34% 47% 56% • Comm. Colg. 6% 6% 3% • University 8% 10% 8% 5% Base: Total Adult Canadians Note that “Young Adults” received their last geography course much earlier than did “Parents or Guardians” or “Other Adults”

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEOGRAPHY QUIZ: AVERAGE “LITERACY” ACROSS ALL QUESTIONS Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Canada’s newest territory is Nunavut. Which number on the map is that?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Newfoundland and Nova Scotia recently concluded a revenue-sharing arrangement with Ottawa regarding offshore oil resources. The Hibernia oil fields are located off the coast of what province?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Alberta and Saskatchewan are celebrating their centennials in 2005. Which province is the world’s largest producer of potash?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “In recent news, China announced that is is prepared to use military force to stop Taiwan from formally pursuing independence. Which number on the map is Taiwan?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Spanish police have recently cracked a $1 billion money-laundering ring. Which number on the map is Spain?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “New research is showing that Cleopatra, the famous queen of Egypt, was not only beautiful but was also revered for her intellect. What number on the map is Egypt?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Mugabe, continues to turn his back on the Commonwealth and other world organizations. What number on the map is Zimbabwe?” Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “The H and L on weather maps stands for what?” [High and Low barometric pressure] Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “The high-altitude wind circling the globe that has such a significant influence on Canada’s weather is called what?” [The Jet Stream] Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Generally across Canada, weather patterns tend to flow from what direction?” [West to East] Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: “Without looking at a map, in what direction would you be travelling going from … - Vancouver to Winnipeg? - Calgary to Edmonton? - Fredericton to St. John N.B. ? - Montreal to Toronto? Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... GEO-SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE: AVERAGE “LITERACY” ACROSS ALL QUESTIONS Base: Total Adult Canadians

MEASURES OF GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY ... SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE: Base: Total Adult Canadians

IN SUMMARY … ATTITUDES TOWARD GEOGRAPHY AND ITS IMPORTANCE … • Adult Canadians have a limited view of what constitutes “geography”. Many Canadians do not associate such phenomena as meteorology, geological events or the migration of infectious diseases as having anything to do with geography. • Adult Canadians strongly endorse key hypotheses about the socio-economic benefits of geographic knowledge. However, only a minority think it very important that geography be taught at the high-school level. GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY … • The perceived importance of geography, and geographic literacy, increases with the level of education attained. Importantly, it would appear that geography as a subject is being taught at increasingly earlier stages of formal education. (“Young adults” received their last geography course at a much earlier level than did “parents and guardians” or “other [older] adults”). • Based upon the average level of correct answers to a series of questions designed to measure geographic knowledge, about one-third of adult Canadians can be considered “geographically illiterate” – higher among “young adults”. • Geographic literacy increases with age, with the level at which the last geography course was taken, with education and with household income.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS … • Insights from this research indicate that emphasis on geography seems to commence earlier and end earlier in the educational process than it did in the past. As a result, “young adults” perceive geography as a much narrower topic area than do “parents and guardians” and “other adults” who took their last course in geography at a later stage in their education. This translates into lower geographic literacy. Formal education in geography should continue into the higher grades. • Whether or not geographic literacy “drives” economic well-being or is simply a function of overall education which drives economic success is unresolved in this research. It is clear, however, that continuing education in geography (through the higher grades) would increase the perceived breadth of the topic - and increase geographic literacy. • While geographic literacy does not correlate directly with economic success, it is an integral component of increasing education, which does drive economic success. • Reflecting the perceived relatively low importance of geography as a subject compared to math and science, it may be necessary to consider “re-branding” geography in the curriculum at the secondary school level as, for example, “geo-spatial science” that embodies more strongly elements of the social and physical sciences consistent with the nature of the subject in its broadest sense. This approach would position geography as an “active” or “scientific” subject more relevant to today’s world rather than as a “passive” subject of only academic interest. * * * * *

TODAY’S PRESENTATION …