Students taking the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress in geography were asked the following:
How often have you studied the following geography skills and topics in school?
Grade 8 |
Grade 12 |
Grade 8 |
Grade 12 | |||||||
1994 | 2001 | 1994 | 2001 | 1994 | 2001 | 1994 | 2001 | |||
Using maps and globes | % | % | % | % | Countries and cultures | % | % | % | % | |
Almost every day | 9 | 12* | 7 | 6 | Almost every day | 23 | 31* | 16 | 20* | |
Once or twice a week | 30 | 34* | 22 | 24 | Once or twice a week | 29 | 32* | 26 | 32* | |
Once or twice a month | 33 | 33 | 31 | 34* | Once or twice a month | 28 | 24* | 30 | 29 | |
Never or hardly ever | 28 | 21* | 40 | 36* | Never or hardly ever | 20 | 13* | 28 | 19* | |
Natural resources | % | % | % | % | Environmental issues | % | % | % | % | |
Almost every day | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | Almost every day | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | |
Once or twice a week | 21 | 24* | 18 | 22* | Once or twice a week | 21 | 24* | 22 | 26* | |
Once or twice a month | 36 | 35 | 31 | 32 | Once or twice a month | 33 | 33 | 30 | 33* | |
Never or hardly ever | 34 | 32 | 45 | 39* | Never or hardly ever | 34 | 32 | 37 | 30* |
*Significantly different from 1994.
SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics. Ordering information for the geography NAEP can be found online at www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html.