Geo-Literacy

What is Geo-Literacy?

Geo-literacy is the ability to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make decisions. Whether we are making decisions about where to live, what precautions to take for natural hazards, or how to set up a manufacturing supply chain, we are all called upon to make decisions that require geo-literacy throughout our lives.

Why is geo-literacy important?

Geo-literacy enables people to steer away from choices that will be costly for themselves and others. For example, individuals and communities bear costs every time a poorly-located business fails, homes and crops are damaged by flooding, and drivers get stuck in snarled traffic. We pay even larger costs for geo-illiteracy in the form of job loss in a competitive global economy and loss of life from natural hazards and military conflict.

What can we do to advance geo-literacy?

Geo-literacy education should be a priority in schools, communities, and homes. In schools, geo-literacy is taught in both social studies and science. In Earth science, environmental science, and ecology. In history, civics, economics, and geography. None of these subjects receives the attention it deserves in today’s schools, and the teaching in these subjects does not focus sufficiently on preparing students for 21st century decisions. To advance geo-literacy, we need to re-prioritize what we teach, and change how we teach it. We also need to cultivate geo-literacy in our homes and in out-of-school settings.