Study Of Advances In Geography Teaching

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 12

Study Of Advances In Geography Teaching

Professor W. B. Johnston will leave this week on an Erskine fellowship of the University of Canterbury to discuss overseas recent advances in geography teaching, training, and research and to study the design of departmental facilities and equipment. In the United States, Professor Johnston, who is head of the Canterbury geography department, will study the potential geographical benefits of the United States space satellite programme. In 1965 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration spent nearly a million on this and for 1966 it has a budget of two million dollars for research into the geographical applications of remote sensory data. He will study the “Advancement of Geography” programme under which, since 1960, high school and university geography teaching has had critical examination. The Ford Foundation and the National Science Foundation

have been financing inquiries into improved geography teaching and its application to problems of government, community development, and use of resources. The high school geography project alone has cost one million dollars this year and under the National Defence Act about 40 institutes of geogarphy were held by universities last summer.

In Britain and Europe, Professor Johnston will investigate geography department buildings and equipment. Many in Europe have recently occupied specially designed buildings. Many have been planned specially for physical geography in which the Canterbury department has a long tradition. These observations will be used in planning the new geography building at Ham. Professor Johnston will also examine vocational opportunities for geographers in regional development, use of resources, conservation, and general planning.