I have written a short essay about how the search for geographic information his changed so much in the past decade. Read it and share your thoughts about what I've written or about your own experience by clicking "Comments" below. Thank you!
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You are right, Matt, I don’t use my Atlas on a daily basis-in the summer! However, during the 180 days when I am meeting with my 6th grade social studies students, I do use my atlas! And so do they!!!! I teach in a small, rural district. We have an adequate computer/student ratio but it is not 1:1. I do not have an interactive whiteboard in my classroom at this point, although I’m hoping to score one in the near future. Everyday in my classroom we have geography skills. My students gain such a wonderful knowledge of “where” by the time the year is over. We literally “wear” out the atlases. Thanks to a grant that I write and have been awarded, each student also receives his/her own atlas to take home. Please….don’t say goodbye to the atlas just yet! There is still a place for her…if it is only in my classroom in the hands of 100+ 6th grade students!
I have always loved looking at maps; knowing a fair amount about each country, as I scan a map I feel the influence of each country on the other and how they interact, so I hope they never become extinct. Also, not everyone has the inclination or finances to travel to other countries, so being able to find out so much info through various search engines and links makes it that much more satisfying in learning more than just the favorite tourist attractions. The combination of maps and search engines is the closest thing to actually being there, enabling one to learn even the minor details of a particular place. It’s great!
Hi Matt,
I know how you feel with the abundance of digital photos and interactive maps of the world. I have not pulled one of my myriad atlases off of my bookshelf as often as I used to. Need to see what New York City looks like from the air? Don’t get out the big ol’ 500-page “Satellite Atlas of the World”–just hop on the ‘net and take a look at Google Earth!
It is also disheartening to know that many people do not know how to understand the basics of a map. I taught a Geology lab course this past spring, and it was the first time many of my students were introduced to map scale, latitude and longitude, contour lines, etc.
On the other hand, however, I think it’s great that maps are essentially becoming “free” on the Internet (for those who can afford access to a computer and the Internet, of course). Some of my friends and family–who would have never dusted off an atlas to look up a city–are often using Google Earth/Maps, Virtual Earth, Yahoo Maps, or other web-mapping services. This is so wonderful because the Internet is facilitating a form of PPGIS, which allows those non-geography-inclined people (who wouldn’t typically own atlases) to become interested in and learn about the world around them. Although actual physical atlases may become less commonplace in homes as maps go digital, there may be a good trade-off. That is, because more and more folks are using online maps (perhaps more than those who would have used an atlas), our society may become more geographically educated. That, my friends, is an excellent thing indeed.
Five years ago I used to use maps/dictionary’s/encyclopedias/thesaurus’ etc on a daily basis, although now just use the Internet and Wikipedia, Google, Google Maps or a plethora of other websites to find the information I am looking for. Whats great about this, is not only is it quicker to find information this way, but the information is often more than would be available in the hard book version, and more up to date.
I have always love flipping through the pages of my atlas (my older brother’s actually) when I was a kid. Looking at the physical, climate etc patterns was always stimulating to a young mind. And I still go through it once in a while for it’s monthly weather guide to cities of the world. That is apart from nostalgia reason as it’s more than 30 years old now!
I never even used to look at tourist brochures or books like The Lonely Planet before I visited a new place, and so I certainly don’t use things like Google Earth now! I totally agree that it takes the fun and excitement out of a new location if you have basically ‘seen it all before’ already online.
On the contrary, Matt, the fun & novelty of travel to distant points, has increased my lust to discover those places I search and find through the amazing Google facilities.
Sami Alamuddin
Lebanon
I miss the “big paintbrush” feel of real maps. I use to go over them for fun. Since I first started trekking te world last year I find that internet information is useful to make plans. We use the inforamtion ro decide if we want to see one place over another since our time is limited. We rarely look at photos. Maybe we’re lucky in that we know what interests us so we look for that – wherever we may find it.
Dear Matt:
I guess you are right, but I just want to tell you a couple of historical facts.
I am a Dutch retired physicist, who has traveled and lived around the world a bit.
Among others I lived 4 years and graduated a 2nd time in the US. I lived 2 years in France, 3 years in KSA and lately I have been living 35 years in Italy. I am traveling much less than when I was young even though the abundance of time. Mostly I go to Germany or Austria because their people are quite technically informed as is not the case in Italy. When I traveled in the US for the 1st time in 1968 for 6 weeks, I bought the nice McDonalds Atlas and there was everything right away. I should say that even today I have always something similar with me for Germany and Austria.
But not only before leaving for a trip I look around on Wiki etc, but I often do this anyway. So I am sufficiently informed for my taste wherever I go.
I use Google Earth very seldom, I find it a little overdimensioned. Having more info does not always mean better results. At the end of the day the important thing in a new place are the people rather than the churches, castles or any other material stuff.
Benjamin
Dear Matt,
Learning facts from various internet resources for an adventure is only the beginning. Experiencing the “rest of the story” happens when all of ones research is put to the test in the experience of the sights, sounds and smells of the market place combined with the customs of the people. Nothing beats getting in the middle of it all!
I am just glad that people are figuring out how to use the wonderful technology at their fingertips. With all the talk of how Americans are geographically iliterate they sure do have the desire to find a way to find an answer to their questions. This may not be true about everyone but just basing information off of the “Goodbye Dear Atlas” article it sure looks like people are becoming more geographically interested. I wished everyone was like your readers so they would include more geography in our daily lives like K-12 and college.
As you may be able to tell I am a rising 12th grader in North Carolina. I wished my high school taught more geography in school.
I am sure this topic has been discused before but I hope my interest in it will ignite the fire so geography can get jumpstarted into the human society once again,
Ray Atkinson
In 3rd grade of my split 2nd and 3rd grade room with about 48 pupils, we learned about Mesopotamia, the cities of Basra and Baghdad. But then I was born in 1927 and going to school meant learning. The next year geography and history classes were cancelled and replaced with something called “Social Studies.” This was the great educational enlightenment. (It’s been downhill ever since.) For us wonderful large maps were always on display and even alert second graders new much geography.
Now I find college graduates who don’t even know the states bordering their own state! We have university students in Texas who can’t name the country south of their state! We find that most Baltimore high school graduates can’t find France on a map of the world.
These days I rarely consult atlases consisting solely of political or physical-political reference maps. Despite having the ‘Net at my fingertips, though, I routinely consult historical atlases; atlases that add depth through thematic maps, graphs, photos, and text; and highway atlases. There’s always a road atlas of the U.S. and a DeLorme state atlas in my car in case a spur of the moment emergency or opportunity arises.
I use all the Google sites you mentioned….but I am frequently asked where a place is by students (and their parents) who do not want to use the computer. Then I drag out one of my handy atlas and point it out to them….piece of cake.
One problem I find with Google Maps is that there is no record of how recently the map was updated. I have found that they are NOT on the cutting edge
As a travel professional, I do dislike the all knowing knowledge prior to arrival. Where is the fun? The excitment? The unknown? This is an important part of the travel experience. Trust I have done this for a living for 32 years.
Hi Matt,
Long time reader of your site. Goode’s Atlas was my favorite book while I was growing up. I tend to view Google earth (etc.) and the photos attached to sites as an introduction, an ‘opening the door’ tool for those who won’t dig deeper. My household much prefers paper maps/an atlas for pre-trip dreams. Only afterward will we seek the web photos attached to the Google map. Chances are we will miss something by not looking beforehand, but we enjoy exploring for ourselves.
As for my father, who cannot travel with us, the google maps and embedded photos are his ‘trip’. He loves looking where we will be going, what we will see – and he quizzes us profusely.
Maps led me to my college degree in remote sensing! Hurrah!
Matt, you are so right about travel not being the adventure it once was. When I traveled all over Europe, North and East Africa as a back-packing 19 year old in 1965, it was an amazing, eye-opening adventure. Now that I have lived overseas for 25 years, visited 100 countries, and flow over the globe hundreds of times via Google Earth, traveling in person not langer excites me the way it used to. Its partly, “been there done that” and partly that today the whole earth is available from my home via braodband internet and the excellent documentaries that are on TV.
This is all indicative of the “dumbing down” of society. The ability to read and understand maps gives one an edge in understanding the world. Being able to just google a location is easy, but there is no learning involved. No effort is spent to learn geography today. I will stick with maps and atlases.
And they are more fun and interesting
Hi Matt,
I have an atlas that I like to look at that brings back so many memories. I used it for school, I looked at it when I had a pen pal (those days are gone), I have old phone numbers written on it. It will always be my baby.