-------- Original Message --------
Subject: AGS Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:17:12 -0600
From: Jerry Dobson <[log in to unmask]>
To:
............................................
Thank you very much for agreeing to assist the American Geographical
Society with the AGS Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey. The survey
is now online and ready to go. The next crucial step is for you to reach
out and solicit respondents. Our goal is to enlist tens of thousands or
more respondents. To ensure that we reach as many people as possible, we
encourage you to solicit respondents by every possible means: email,
Internet, listserves, newspaper, radio, TV, social networks (Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), and personal appearances (clubs, local to
national groups, public events, etc.).
Please try to obtain permission to distribute announcements through
your institutions usual means of reaching out to the public. Most
universities won't share their master e-mail address lists, but perhaps
they will allow you to broadcast a public announcement to faculty,
staff, administrators, students, alumni. Don't limit yourself, however,
to academic networks. We want to hear from the public, so make use of
every network you have.
The American Geographical Society has secured Internal Review Board
(IRB) approval through the University of Baltimore, and we believe that
will be adequate for all volunteers. If you prefer, however, feel free
to file for approval through your own institution, and we will provide
any documentation you need to satisfy their procedures.
This may be the worlds first adults only geography survey. We did not
seek IRB approval for children younger than 18 because (a) we want to
send a powerful message that geography really is for grownups too; (b)
we are primarily interested in assessing the long-term effects of
geographic education; (c) it is the adults, not children, who drive
education policy; and (d) the IRB process is more demanding for surveys
involving children.
Please paste these three paragraphs into the invitation that you send to
the public:
The American Geographical Society (AGS) needs your help in a matter
of vital importance. We are conducting a nationwide survey of public
attitudes toward geography and knowledge about geography. This is
our part in a major study funded by the National Science Foundation.
This Roadmap project is a joint effort of the National Geographic
Society, the National Council for Geographic Education, the
Association of American Geographers, and AGS. The overall topic is
geographic literacy, a matter of serious concern in America today.
We invite all U. S. citizens and long term residents of the United
States to take the survey. The only eligibility requirement is that
you must be age 18 or older. The results will help guide Federal and
state policies regarding geographic education.
You may access the survey online by clicking the following link: AGS
Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey
<http://webteach.ubalt.edu/UltimateSurvey/Surveys/TakeSurvey.aspx?s=F30154FD158241D39265B445E3BD5817>
(If the link does not take you directly to the survey, please copy
and paste this URL into your web browser:
http://webteach.ubalt.edu/UltimateSurvey/Surveys/TakeSurvey.aspx?s=F30154FD158241D39265B445E3BD5817
). Based on trial runs, we estimate the survey will take 12 to 18
minutes of your time.
Please help us spread the word by forwarding this invitation by
every possible means: email, Internet, listserves, newspaper, radio,
TV, social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), and
personal appearances (clubs, local to national groups, public
events, etc.).
I understand this is a busy time of year for you, and I greatly
appreciate the effort you are making to ensure the surveys success. I
am especially grateful to AGS Councilor Joe Wood, Provost of the
University of Baltimore, who helped organize the survey and applied for
IRB approval; Don Haynes and Bill Wells of the Schaefer Center for
Public Policy at the University of Baltimore, who advised me regarding
the design of the survey and programmed the online version; AGS
Councilors and officers who assisted in composing questions; and the
Volunteers and Roadmap Research Team members who reviewed both drafts
and gave good advice.
Jerome E. Dobson
*Jerome E. (Jerry) Dobson *
*Professor of Geography*
*University of Kansas*
( *http://www.geog.ku.edu/* *) *
**
*President *
*American Geographical Society *
( http://www.amergeog.org <http://www.amergeog.org/>)
*Jefferson Science Fellow *
*U. S. Department of State & *
*National Academies***
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