Examining Geographic Literacy through State Performance Assessment Activities

Abstract

The Kansas Social Studies Assessment was implemented to all students in grades five, eight, and eleven. This performance activity evaluated skills and abilities, as well as, focused on processes involved in critically evaluating contextual materials from different social studies perspectives. This study examined responses by students who chose to use a geographic perspective. Based upon the student responses to the assigned thematic questions, a determination was made as to whether students actually used a geographic perspective, and which of the Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994 was applied. The standards that were represented most frequently in student responses among the three grade levels included; Standard 14-how human actions modify the physical environment; Standard 9-characteristics, distributions, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface; and Standard 13-how forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface.

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