-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Connecting Teachers, Libraries and Geography
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:27:50 -0500
From: James R. Carter <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
References: <[log in to unmask]>
I will argue that some of the DVD's of Dora the Explorer should be
included in a listing of geography literature for children. Dora only
works for preschoolers. At about 5 years of age children seem to outgrow
Dora, but before then she teaches some geography. In particular I
recommend the DVDs entitled Map Adventures and World Adventures.
When a former student told me his 18-month old son knows what a map is
because he watches Dora, I had to check out the TV program. Later
another person told me his 3 year old daughter asked about Tanzania
after watching Dora. One thing led to another and I ended up writing an
article about Dora. I am currently working on another article about Map,
the only instance I know of a map being in two forms, a character and a
spatial representation.
I am interested to know if any other children TV programs teach any
geography. I have not looked systematically, but I suspect there is some
good geography offered there. Have you considered the videos and DVDs on
nature programs as part of your geography offerings? Libraries stock
these and some are quite popular.
Here is the information on my article.
Jim Carter
*Dora the Explorer: Preschool Geographic Educator** *
*Author:* James R. Carter
*DOI:* 10.1080/00221340802419377
*Publication Frequency:* 6 issues per year
*Published in:* journal Journal of Geography
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title%7Econtent=t770943818%7Edb=all> ,
Volume
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title%7Econtent=t770943818%7Edb=all%7Etab=issueslist%7Ebranches=107#v107>
107
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title%7Econtent=t770943818%7Edb=all%7Etab=issueslist%7Ebranches=107#v107>,
Issue 3
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title%7Econtent=g906018147%7Edb=all>May
2008 , pages 77 - 86
*Subjects:* By Subject: Geography
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/browse%7Edb=all%7Ething=title%7Eby=subject%7Eappend=782177695,782177694,738534510,782177704#subject782177704>;
By Subject: Geography
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/browse%7Edb=all%7Ething=title%7Eby=subject%7Eappend=782178979,782178978,738534510,782178987#subject782178987>;
Human Geography
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/browse%7Edb=all%7Ething=title%7Eby=subject%7Eappend=738534554,738534566#subject738534566>;
Physical Geography
<http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/browse%7Edb=all%7Ething=title%7Eby=subject%7Eappend=738534554,738534586#subject738534586>;
*Formats available:* HTML (English) : PDF (English)
*Abstract *
/Dora the Explorer/ is a twenty-three-minute television program for
preschoolers viewed by millions every day in many countries. These
programs are also marketed as videotapes and DVDs. This seven-year-old
Latina, bilingual cartoon character teaches many things by interacting
with the young viewers. On every program Dora and friends have to go
someplace to solve a problem. Map is a cartoon character who helps
viewers read the map and tells Dora where to go next. Some episodes are
particularly geographic. Geographers need to evaluate the contributions
of /Dora the Explorer/ to geographic education for preschool children, a
little-studied subject.
*Keywords: *preschoolers; map-reading; Latina; television; bilingual
At 4/28/2009, you wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Connecting Teachers, Libraries and Geography
> Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:08:39 -0500
> From: Richard <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Greetings,
>
> I am co-writing an article on the use of geography collections within
> childrens and teen departments of public libraries. I am specifically
> interested in non-book circulating collections (maps, globes, puzzles of
> maps, etc). I have posted on 2 childrens library electronic discussion
> lists with large subscriber bases, and the feedback I have received
> indicates that few (if any) public libraries have non-book geographic
> items available for check-out. In our article, we will attempt to
> justify the need for such a collection and provide guidelines on how one
> may be built.
>
> I am now in need of your experience and expertise. If you were advising
> your local, youth-services, public librarian, what advice would you give
> her/him on collection guidelines? What items should form the initial,
> core collection? In other words, any library would be remiss if they
> did not include X. For example, many State Departments of Tourism issue
> free road maps. This is a cost effective way to acquire a quality map
> for the geography collectionand a state map should be a core item in
> any collection such as this. We welcome your additional ideas!
>
> Where should a librarian start in her/his search for geographic items
> for check-out? Where can a librarian "shop" for items to include? Where
> can s/he go to get items for free? What items are so important to a core
> collection that they are worth a relatively high price tag? If you were
> developing this collection, what would you include? If YOUR kid was
> going to your local library and they had a geography collection, what
> would you hope her would find and be able to check out and bring home on
> his/her library card?
>
> At this point, we wish to cast a wide net (e.g. topographic maps? Maps
> of the universe?) Web sites would be very useful, as we will recommend a
> geographic collection of links be established on the library's web site,
> but we are primarily interested in real world items that the kids can
> check out.
>
> Please respond to me directly and I will be happy to summarize for the
> list:
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> I will be grateful for any assistance you can provide. Thanks for your
> time and expertise!
>
> Richard Douglas Wambold, MLIS
> School of Library and Information Studies
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> Helen C. White Hall
> Office 4252, Mailbox 172
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Dr. James R. "Jim" Carter, Emeritus Professor
Geography-Geology Department
Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4400 USA
-- http://www.ilstu.edu/~jrcarter <http://www.ilstu.edu/%7Ejrcarter> --
tel: (309) 438-2833 fax: (309) 438-5310
[log in to unmask]
Past President, Normal Rotary Club
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