Ten Organizations for Geographic Information - Geography - page 323

National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE)
The NCGE seeks to enhance the status and quality of geography education and learning. Familiar-
ization with this organization is recommended for anyone interested in geographic education at any
level, kindergarten through graduate school. The Journal of Geography, the NCGE's principal peri-
odical, is published ten times a year and is devoted to research on geographic education, content art-
icles, and classroom-ready lesson plans and activities. The Council's newsletter, Perspective, pub-
lished six times per year, provides information on learning activities, current events, educational re-
sources, workshops, and other items related to the teaching of geography, as well as to NCGE news.
The organization holds an annual meeting, the venue of which changes each year, and has available
for sale a variety of monographs related to its mission.
You can learn more about this organization online at www.ncge.org or by sending an e-mail to ncge-
[e-mail]. The NCGE's Central Office is located at Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
Leonard Hall Room 16 A, 421 North Walk, Indiana, PA 15705-1087. Feel free to call them at (724)
357-6290 or fax them at [phone]. (Note: Effective June 30, 2002, the Central Office will re-
locate to 206 A Martin Hall, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265. Phone: [800]
346-5444.)
National Geographic Society (NGS)
National Geographic is more than just a magazine. Founded in 1888 “for the increase and diffusion
of geographic knowledge,” the Society is by far the most visible symbol and promoter of popular
geography in the United States. In recent years, the Society's reach and influence have been augmen-
ted by its National Geographic Explorer TV series, a cable TV channel, its own magazine of travel
and tourism, National Geographic Traveler, and another publication geared to the more active reader
called National Geographic Adventure. Meanwhile the old stalwart, National Geographic Magazine,
continues to rank among the top periodicals in terms of circulation, and has recently morphed into
foreign language versions.
TheSociety hasbecome aforceingeographic education, asevidenced byitspivotal roleinproducing
and promoting the National Geography Standards, its sponsorship of the National Geography Bee,
and its nurturing of the state Geographic Alliance Network (see the last item on this list). The Society
is also a major marketer of maps, globes, atlases, and assorted geographical paraphernalia. Informa-
tion may be accessed online at www.nationalgeographic.com , which also offers a ton of download-
able goodies. You can also call (800) NGS-LINE, or write to National Geographic Society, 1145 17th
St., NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688.