Can Lake Land students find Iraq on a map?
Scott May Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/1/08 Section: News
According to a National Geographic-Roper Survey of Geographic Literacy, 63 % of 18-24 year old Americans cannot recognize Iraq on a world map. JapanToday.com released a study that showed 44% of Japanese college student failed as well. But how does the fine student population of Lake Land compare to these figures?
A survey held by the staff of the Lake Land Navigator found that the percentage of those who can find Iraq and those who could not was virtually split down the middle. 49% of Lake Land students surveyed could not find Iraq on the map. Furthermore, 48% of those who failed could not find the region of Iraq. Those students who failed to find the region were just as likely to point to Greenland, China or Africa when asked to identify the country.
Mike Rudibaugh, a Geography/Earth Science Instructor at Lake land, was not surprised to hear the new statistic about Lake Land's students.
"America has trouble with spatial relations," said Rudibaugh. He contributes the difficulty to the lack of importance that is placed on geography in American schools. "Geography is the Rodney Dangerfield of American academics," said Rudibaugh. "It gets no respect."
Kelly Strohm, a Lake Land Education major said, "It's out of sight, out of mind. If you don't turn on the news you don't ever see it."
Lake Land students can be proud to stomp the national average. However, Japanese college students, who are less likely to have friends and family involved in the war, achieved far greater averages on the subject.
Contact Scott at smay@stdnt.lakeland.cc.il.us
A survey held by the staff of the Lake Land Navigator found that the percentage of those who can find Iraq and those who could not was virtually split down the middle. 49% of Lake Land students surveyed could not find Iraq on the map. Furthermore, 48% of those who failed could not find the region of Iraq. Those students who failed to find the region were just as likely to point to Greenland, China or Africa when asked to identify the country.
Mike Rudibaugh, a Geography/Earth Science Instructor at Lake land, was not surprised to hear the new statistic about Lake Land's students.
"America has trouble with spatial relations," said Rudibaugh. He contributes the difficulty to the lack of importance that is placed on geography in American schools. "Geography is the Rodney Dangerfield of American academics," said Rudibaugh. "It gets no respect."
Kelly Strohm, a Lake Land Education major said, "It's out of sight, out of mind. If you don't turn on the news you don't ever see it."
Lake Land students can be proud to stomp the national average. However, Japanese college students, who are less likely to have friends and family involved in the war, achieved far greater averages on the subject.
Contact Scott at smay@stdnt.lakeland.cc.il.us
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