The Global Scene for Geographical Education

Picture the following scenarios in your mind concerning the World and its people. How can they be understood well in order to sustain Planet Earth for now and the future? What is it in these scenarios that promotes the need for different educative processes to enhance the sustainability argument? How can geographical education play a key role in the resolution of these scenarios? ... Geographical educators and policy makers make good use of relevant international statements and declarations to guide their curricular development. In a national study in the broad community in Australia (Gerber, 2001), the author demonstrated that the Australian community does value geographical education in its society, but more work needs to be done in the educational community to ensure that this happens in educational terms. Professional geographers also need to be more overt in their promotion of geographical education as an essential element of all people's education. Now, I readily admit that geographical education holds a core position in a good range of countries. However, this is a tenuous hold and a concerted effort is required to ensure that all citizens can understand the implications of each of the four scenarios for their life-worlds and that the world citizenry can work to improve our planet and make it a sustainable one.