The influence of the Missouri Geographic Alliance on geography competence of students in Missouri public schools

An era of reform in geography education began in the early 1980's. However, geography education is sadly lacking in empirical data that would inform and support decisions in the field. This study was undertaken in response to the need for data regarding learner outcomes in geography.;A nested analysis of variance was employed to compare the geographic competence of two equated groups of sixth grade students in Missouri public schools. The groups were equated on the basis of school size and socioeconomic status. One group was directly impacted by the Missouri Geographic Alliance through the teaching and activities of Teacher Consultants of the Missouri Geographic Alliance. The other group was not directly impacted and there were no Teacher Consultants employed in the schools districts.;Data gathered in this study revealed that Teacher Consultants of the Missouri Geographic Alliance do indeed employ strategies, methods and materials developed and distributed by the Missouri Geographic Alliance. Non-Teacher Consultants in this study did not receive the same training as Teacher Consultants and did not employ the same strategies, methods and materials to teach geography. Students in the group of schools directly impacted by the Missouri Geographic Alliance scored significantly higher means on a commercially published competency-based geography test than did the students in schools not directly impacted by the Missouri Geographic Alliance.;Results of this study further indicated that teacher training in strategies and methods and use of materials developed and distributed by the Missouri Geographic Alliance lead to greater geographic competence on the part of the learner. Results also indicated that teachers, whether trained by Missouri Geographic Alliance or not, were of great significance in affecting geographic competence.