The findings of a new report from the National Assessment of Education Progress for Geography in the United States has just been published. They evaluated students in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grade based on their knowledge of geographic concepts and their ability to analyze geographic problems.
Nationally representative samples of about 7,000 fourth-graders, 9,500 eighth-graders, and 10,000 twelfth-graders participated in the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography. At each grade, students responded to questions designed to measure their knowledge of geography in the context of space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections. Comparing the results from the 2010 assessment to the results from previous assessments in 1994 and 2001 shows how students’ knowledge and skills in geography have changed over time.
The results are interesting, the scores of 4th graders improved, 8th graders remained the same, and 12th graders declined. Overall male students scored higher than female students at all three grades.
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| Click here to learn more and download the report. |
We have also prepared a quick sample question for 4th graders on map skills of the United States. Download now, 94k file.