National Geographic Unveils Geo-Educator Community

WASHINGTON (March 17, 2014)-National Geographic has launched the Geo-Educator Community, the flagship program of the new Geo-Education Initiative focused on preparing American students for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

The Geo-Educator Community is targeted at teachers and other educators who are committed to teaching young people about their world. It is designed to give geo-educators the opportunity to learn from, and collaborate with, like-minded educators and innovators from different disciplines and educational settings. Through a combination of face-to-face and online activities, members of the Geo-Educator Community will be able to connect, share ideas and collaborate on projects; access world-class, cutting-edge instructional materials from National Geographic and other sources; and give and receive support from other educators facing the same day-to-day challenges. Educators also will be able to participate in the Community through a variety of social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Edmodo, a website for educators that hosts more than 28 million teachers and students worldwide.

National Geographic has adopted the term geo-education to describe the in-school and out-of-school experiences that teach young people about our interconnected world. A well-rounded geo-education is vital for businesses in the current economy, for sustaining our natural resources and for preserving the quality of life in our local communities. In addition, geo-education is key to protecting our global and national security. Cultural and geographical knowledge are crucial skills in military service and diplomacy and prepare American students for leadership and cooperation.

By using the term geo-education, National Geographic is drawing attention to the fact that learning about our world occurs in many different settings. Any educator, whether in a classroom setting or not, who exposes students to new cultures, new perspectives or new languages, is a geo-educator, said National Geographic Vice President of Education Daniel Edelson. Through the Geo-Educator Community, National Geographic is continuing its firm commitment to increasing and improving geo-education by focusing on the most valuable resource in education: teachers.

Edelson announced the launch of the Geo-Educator Community in a speech at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' inaugural Teaching & Learning 2014 Conference in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 15.

More information about the Geo-Educator Community and the Geo-Education Initiative is available at geo-education.org, and a video on the program is available here.

About the National Geographic Society

Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the member-supported Society offers a community for members to get closer to explorers, connect with other members and help make a difference. The Society reaches more than 500 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

LINK:	http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2014/03/17/national-geographic-unv...
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