The Use of Verbo-Visual Information in the Teaching of Geography--Views from Teachers.

A study examined teachers' actual use of media and pictures in their teaching of geography in the secondary schools of five countries (a previous study focused on representations). About 180 teachers from Australia, Greece, Japan, Sweden, and the United States responded to a questionnaire concerning how often they used various types of media or equipment, what kinds of pictures they used, and the reasons for using the pictures. Results indicated that: (1) there was a substantial difference in media use by individual teachers; (2) the blackboard and geography textbooks were used often by teachers in most countries; (3) wall maps are most used in Japan, used weekly in Australia, Sweden, and the United States, and monthly in Greece; and (4) geographical or print media was used much more than audio-visual media. Findings suggest that geography teaching is still very much an oral activity with very little media support. (Six tables of data are included; the questionnaire is attached.) (RS)