Geo-cube: an international toolkit promoting Geography for all

Thematic Pillar 2: HERODOT Network

Karl DonertNational Teaching Fellow

Liverpool Hope University

HERODOT Thematic Network

• An EU funded network project, since 2002• Grass roots - bringing geographers together• 242 partner institutions from 55 countries• Addressing the Bologna Process … • Improving quality of learning and teaching

Geography in higher education• 4 interest groups (TPs – Thematic Pillars)• European-wide research• Publications – workshops – training -seminars

Context of this research• State of Geography in Europe - Report (Donert, 2007)

• Decline of Geography in European schools • Not perceived by decision makers as important as

lifelong learning• Need to communicate Geography into Society How?• Information gathering • Promotion, lobbying• Ambassadorship of the discipline

Donert K (2007), Aspects of the State of Geography n Europe, http://www.herodot.net/state-of-geography.html

Research and Development Objectives

1. Assess current and future promotion of GeographyCountry reports and European perspective Method - questionnaire to collect information regarding current practices, future measures and the preferred tools.

2. Create a product (toolkit) to support the promotion of GeographyMethod – workshops and meetings

Research Survey sampleNumber of Questionnaires by Country

Questionnaires 63 (5 non-European): Countries 23 (19 European)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Aus

tralia

Aus

tria

Bul

garia

Cze

ch R

epub

li

Den

mar

k

Finl

and

Ger

man

y

Gre

ece

Irela

nd

Lith

uani

a

Mal

awi

Net

herla

nds

New

Zea

land

Nor

way

Pol

and

Por

tuga

l

Rom

ania

Slo

veni

a

Spa

in

Sw

eden

Turk

ey UK

US

A

yes 92%no 8%

Department 78%Individual academics 67%non-academics/University PR 31%Students 33%Others 8%

Is there promotion of Geography in your higher education institution?

Who is doing it?

Funding 27%Attracting students 82%Raise awareness of subject 51%Department survival 33%Public awareness of subject 41%Other 4%

Why is it being done?

Promoting Geography• University and

department Web sites

• Organising events

• media and lobbying (relatively low)

How Geography is promoted (all target audiences)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

postc

ards

Leafl

ets / P

rosp

ectus

Poster

Schoo

l netw

ork

Web

site

Marketi

ng G

adge

ts

Lobb

ying

Compe

tition

s

News/p

ress r

eleas

es

Events

Others

resp

onse

freq

uenc

y

How Geography is promoted

  FundingAttracting students

Raise awareness of subject

Department survival

Public awareness of subject

postcards 4% 12% 10% 2% 8%Leaflets /

Prospectus 6% 57% 33% 16% 20%Poster 6% 47% 37% 14% 25%School network 12% 33% 25% 14% 14%Website 14% 67% 45% 20% 47%Marketing

Gadgets 0% 2% 0% 0% 0%Lobbying 22% 4% 18% 16% 16%Competitions 4% 20% 10% 2% 6%News/press

releases 2% 16% 18% 6% 24%Events 16% 65% 41% 20% 39%

Others 4% 6% 4% 0% 2%

Marketing Geography

Attractiveness of subject 90%Employability 46%Success of graduates 64%Other 12%

What is stressed in the promotion of Geography?

Main messages: fieldworkimportance for everyday life and environment sustainabilitywide applicability of geography knowledge and skillspublic service - importance of geo-knowledgestress the value of the subject

Who promotes to whom?

Country Country analysis: Maltaanalysis: Malta

• Growing popularity at tertiary level.• Geography Division relatively young (15 years)• Interactions with other departments, major

employers, local government, consultants, NGOs and schools.

• Despite this, geography has only recently been acknowledged by a number of employers (MEPA, Agriculture, ADT, MRA).

• Problem of definition, promotion of geography by UOM staff has produced good results.

• Problem of employability as number of graduates are increasing in a relatively small market.

Country analysis: Country analysis: LithuaniaLithuania

• Geography promoted between students, who eventually disappear in society.

• Difficulty of defining a “geographer”.• Geography as a school subject, not a

profession• Very little effort to promote the “job” in the

media• No professional status associated with

geography.

Country analysis: Country analysis: NetherlandsNetherlands

• Royal Dutch Geographical Society• PUTTING GEOGRAPHY ON THE MAP• Focus of KNAG on bringing together the

geography education community– publication in popular media– visits to museums and centres– recruitment strategies to attract students

(linked to funding)• Masters in Geography & Communications

Country analysis: Country analysis: PolandPoland

• No public promotion of geography.• Polish Geographical Society formed• Geographers seen on TV as experts,

particularly promoting tourism• Public events related to geography /

science (marching with compasses)• More focused events for geographers

– Geographical Olympic Games (for schools)– Increased participation in GIS day

Research Conclusions (1)Need to:• Target geographers and society in general• Promotion focus on decision-making

agencies• Share good practice on geo-promotion• Develop a toolkit to help promote Geography• A single recognisable multimedia web

site• Enhanced by translation to meet local needs

Research Conclusions (2)• Train students of Geography about the

geographical skills they have and why they (as geographers) are important in society.

• Encourage graduates to promote themselves as geographers by:– creating a social and professional alumni

community would help meet this goal.– building an international contact database

of key government, business leaders and other high-status individuals who have connections to Geography

RecommendationsRecommendations• Aim high, target politicians, governments, EU, Council

of Europe, UNESCO etc. – how?– Need a lobbying agency – European Association, IGU– Use famous/important geographers – who are they?– Better projection of the skills of a geographer– Change geography curriculum to include/attract para-

geographers to geography• Share good practices on geo-promotion

– How? Who? Where?• Toolkit to promote geography

– single place (website) to promote Geography

Geo-cube: re-inventing the way to explore Geography

HERODOT response

Branding Geography

• Focus on target audience• Researched ways Internet

was being used to promote Geography

• Dutch “Canon” – web site as a window on the topic (Nagel, 2009)

• Cube chosen as interfaceNagel, M. (2009), Windows on the World: Global Citizenship in Dutch Education, 37-41, Paper presented at the Geographical Diversity, EUROGEO-HERODOT Conference Ayvalik, Turkey 28-31 May 2009, http://www.herodot.net/conferences/Ayvalik/papers/educ-01.pdf

The GeoCube (geo-cube.eu)• Based on the principle of the Rubik Cube • Easily accessible website • Available online for free.• An attractive online statement about Geography • Multimedia resources (1000+ high quality

images, 100+ video clips) • Text produced by volunteers from 16 countries• Edited and standardised

6 themes 9 topics

54 subjects

Branding GeographyGeocube provides the world of Geography at your fingertips and just a mouse click away!

Geocube helps you understand what Geography is and what geographers do

Powerful messageBuild image

Earth from All Angles

Exploring Our World

Fascinating Earth

Living Together

Shrinking Planet

Useful Geographies

Geocube…… an accessible way to read, see and watch Geography at work. 54 windows on what Geography is andwhat geographers do

Building the brand

Final Conclusions (1)Research indicated • professional bodies, associations and

international organisations need to become more involved – HOW?

• departments of higher education and teacher training have an important role to play

• we must encourage our students and alumni to be advocates and ambassadors for Geography

Further challenges for HERODOT • Must widely promote and inform different audiences

of the existence and usefulness of the Geocube toolkit?

Final Conclusions (2)• Why should we care? • If we care - whose job is promotion any way?• Question of scale

– international - national – local – regional

• Who promotes Geography worldwide?• What is the role of the IGU?• How can you get involved?

– Join HERODOT – www.herodot.net– Join EUROGEO – European Association of Geographers www.eurogeography.eu

GeoCube is a European initiative developed by HERODOT www.herodot.net, the European Network for Geography in

Higher Education and is available to anyone who is interested in Geography

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The Web site reflects the views only of the network, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.