21 May 2007

GGIP@GA

The GGIP sub campaign at the GA Conference in Derby was a great success and thanks again to all that helped.

Victoria Ellis has created a short write up of the Conference that was sent to the TES and Local Derby Newspapers.

DERBY CONFERENCE PUTS GEOGRAPHY ON THE MAP

12th – 14th April saw hundreds of geographers from across the UK and beyond turn the University of Derby into a veritable hive of activity, as they descended for the Annual Conference of the Geographical Association… And not a leather elbow patch in sight!

The Conference provided a fantastic opportunity for geographers to discuss and debate all things geographical (and that’s most things!) in a great setting. Highlights of the Conference included a public lecture from Polar explorer, Ben Saunders, a huge variety of workshops led by geography teachers and academics, and field visits to explore the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

Particularly busy were those of us on the Give Geography Its Place stand, with a constant stream of visitors keen to discuss the importance of geography and to buy t-shirts and badges to prove that they are proud to be geographers! The Give Geography Its Place (GGIP) campaign was born in May 2006, and since then more than 2000 geographers (including over 100 top academics) from over 30 countries have signed a petition urging the media to recognise the vital role of Geography and Geographers. David Rayner and Daniel Raven-Ellison, the founders of the GGiP campaign and both teachers of Geography, said “Geography is in a unique position to act as a bridge between subject areas using spatial knowledge, understanding and technologies coupled with distinctive concepts to make sense of the world. If students and the wider public are to make sense of some of the biggest issues which make the headlines, it is vital that there is a greater understanding and use of geography. Modern Geography is not about being able to repeat the gazetteer of an atlas; it’s about understanding the patterns, processes and systems that connect us all to each other and to our environments. If we take international migration as an example, history and politics play their part but the complex mixture of why, how, where and when people travel are best explained through Geography.”

Visit http://www.ggip.co.uk/ to find out more about the campaign, sign the petition, and share your ideas for promoting Geography. The Geographical Association website is http://www.geography.org.uk/ .

Victoria Ellis is a teacher of Geography at Swanwick Hall School, a member of the GGiP Action Committee, and author of http://www.geogtastic.blogspot.com/ .

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