Geo cognizance presentation2

GeographicThinking

Geography ismisunderstood.

Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance

Cartopgraphy MAPS

Geology ROCKS

Memorization FACTS

Chris Bruffee Directed Research

What is Geography?


This is here



What happens here



What happens here


effects what happens here


What happens here


effects what happens here

and here

and here

and here

and here

Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

GeographicPerspectives



GeographicTheories



GeographicSkills

GeographicTheories


GeographicThinking


GeographicSkills

GeographicTheories


The ultimateT-shapeddiscipline:

T



Tspaceandplace



Tspaceandplace

anthropology, climatology, biology, economics, history,

epidemiology, transportation,millitary, marketing, farming, mining, exporting, linguistics...

It’s a new world.

Geographic thinkingenables us

to create innovativesolutions to problems

using data visualization,

to understand howactions taken in one place

impact another place,

to compete successfullyin international

economic systems,

to adapt to and help shapechanging environments,

to communicate withand work with peoplefrom diverse cultures.


Communications Designis essential to promotingGeographic Thinking.



Communications Designis essential to promotingGeographic Thinking.

Some current examples:

Breathing Earth Measure of America Geotagging Education Flash History Maps Made in New York Digital Personalized Geospatial


Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed ResearchTowards a Common Geo-Cognizance

This thesis presents the hypothesis that:

the general discipline of geographyis misunderstood by the public, andis dismissed as unnecessary rotememorization of names and facts.

Because of this there is a missed opportunity to promote the T-shaped worldview that geography provides.



Rooted in the central theme of space and place (the stem of the T),geographic thinking can then have an interdisciplinary focus (the cross of the T).

In this way, the complex and interdepen-dent relationships that make up our world can be seen through a correspondingly multifaceted lens.



In an increasingly interconnected world, geographic thinking is essential in order to successfully:

• createinnovativesolutionstoproblemsusing data and visualization tools

• understandhowactionstakeninoneplace impact another place



• competesuccessfullyininternationaleconomic systems

• adapttoandhelpshapechangingenvironments

• communicatewithandworkwithpeople from many diverse cultures



Communications design holds unique po-tential to promote and enhance this kind of geographic thinking.

As visual representations have always been the public face of geography, the cutting edge of design and visualization should also be at the forefront of geo-graphic thinking and geography educa-tion, to promote a well-informed and inter-nationally competitive population.



This thesis presents the hypothesis that the general discipline of geography is misunderstood by the public, and is dismissed as unnecessary rote memorization of names and facts. Because of this there is a missed opportunity to promote the T-shaped worldview that geography provides. Rooted in the central theme of space and place (the stem of the T), geographic thinking can then have an interdisciplinary focus (the cross of the T). In this way, the complex and interdependent relationships that make up our world can be seen through a correspondingly multifaceted lens.

In an increasingly interconnected world, geographic thinking is essential in order to successfully: • createinnovativesolutionstoproblemsusingdataandvisualizationtools• understandhowactionstakeninoneplaceimpactanotherplace• competesuccessfullyininternationaleconomicsystems• adapttoandhelpshapechangingenvironments• communicatewithandworkwithpeoplefrommanydiversecultures

Communications design holds unique potential to promote and enhance this kind of geographic thinking. As visual representations have always been the public face of geography, the cutting edge of design and visualization should also be at the fore-front of geographic thinking and geography education, to promote a well-informed and internationally competitive population.


Thank You.