1. Geographic
Thinking

2. Geography is
misunderstood.

3. What is Geography?
Cartopgraphy MAPS
Geology ROCKS
Memorization FACTS
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

4. This is here
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

5. What happens here
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

6. What happens here
effects what happens here
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

7. What happens here
here
and
and here
and here
and here
effects what happens here
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

8. Geographic
Perspectives
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

9. Geographic
Perspectives
Geographic
Theories
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

10. Geographic
Perspectives
Geographic Geographic
Skills Theories
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

11. Geographic
Perspectives
Geographic
Thinking
Geographic Geographic
Skills Theories
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

12. T
The ultimate
T-shaped
discipline:
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

13. T
The ultimate
T-shaped
discipline:
space
and
place
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

14. T
The ultimate anthropology, climatology,
T-shaped biology, economics, history,
discipline:
epidemiology, transportation,
millitary, marketing, farming,
mining, exporting, linguistics...
space
and
place
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

15. It’s a new world.

16. Geographic thinking
enables us

17. to create innovative
solutions to problems
using data visualization,

18. to understand how
actions taken in one place
impact another place,

19. to compete successfully
in international
economic systems,

20. to adapt to and help shape
changing environments,

21. to communicate with
and work with people
from diverse cultures.

22. Communications Design
is essential to promoting
Geographic Thinking.
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

23. Communications Design
is essential to promoting
Geographic Thinking.
Some current examples:
Breathing Earth
Measure of America
Geotagging Education
Flash History Maps
Made in New York Digital
Personalized Geospatial
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

24. This thesis presents the hypothesis that:
the general discipline of geography
is misunderstood by the public, and
is dismissed as unnecessary rote
memorization of names and facts.
Because of this there is a missed
opportunity to promote the T-shaped
worldview that geography provides.
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

25. Rooted in the central theme of space
and place (the stem of the T),
geographic thinking can then have an
interdisciplinary focus (the cross of the T).
In this way, the complex and interdepen-
dent relationships that make up our world
can be seen through a correspondingly
multifaceted lens.
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

26. In an increasingly interconnected world,
geographic thinking is essential in order
to successfully:
• create innovative solutions to problems
using data and visualization tools
• understand how actions taken in one
place impact another place
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

27. • compete successfully in international
economic systems
• adapt to and help shape changing
environments
• communicate with and work with
people from many diverse cultures
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

28. Communications design holds unique po-
tential to promote and enhance this kind
of geographic thinking.
As visual representations have always
been the public face of geography, the
cutting edge of design and visualization
should also be at the forefront of geo-
graphic thinking and geography educa-
tion, to promote a well-informed and inter-
nationally competitive population.
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

29. This thesis presents the hypothesis that the general discipline of geography is
misunderstood by the public, and is dismissed as unnecessary rote memorization
of names and facts. Because of this there is a missed opportunity to promote the
T-shaped worldview that geography provides. Rooted in the central theme of space
and place (the stem of the T), geographic thinking can then have an interdisciplinary
focus (the cross of the T). In this way, the complex and interdependent relationships
that make up our world can be seen through a correspondingly multifaceted lens.
In an increasingly interconnected world, geographic thinking is essential in order to
successfully:
• create innovative solutions to problems using data and visualization tools
• understand how actions taken in one place impact another place
• compete successfully in international economic systems
• adapt to and help shape changing environments
• communicate with and work with people from many diverse cultures
Communications design holds unique potential to promote and enhance this kind of
geographic thinking. As visual representations have always been the public face of
geography, the cutting edge of design and visualization should also be at the fore-
front of geographic thinking and geography education, to promote a well-informed
and internationally competitive population.
Towards a Common Geo-Cognizance Chris Bruffee Directed Research

30. Thank You.