Panel Topics: 

Day One (Friday): Integrating Research & Education in the Spatial Domain 

Topics: Developmental Theory, Spatial Abilities, and Spatial Cognition; Information Processing as a link between research and education; Individual Differences and the Transition from Childhood to the Workplace; Translating Laboratory Research findings into Real world Education Experiences; Effective Ways of Transferring Current Research Findings to the Educational Arena. 

Day Two (Saturday): Spatial Problem Solving in the K-12 and Undergraduate Arenas. 

Topics: Building on Fundamental Spatial/Geographic Concepts in the Geography Standards and Geography for Life projects; Task-oriented Spatial and Geographic Teaching Techniques for the 21st Century K-12 curricula; The Web, Distance Learning, Virtual Environments and other Future Spatial/Geographic Technologies for use in the 21st Century; Undergraduate Curricula; Assessment/Evaluation of the Acquisition of Spatial Knowledge in various educational settings. 

Previous Meeting Information

Given the mix of geographers, psychologists, and education professionals on the panels, we anticipate a variety of position statements that we can develop during each day. 

For those of you not included on panels: well, I could just say that we need outspoken people in the audience! But we also plan to designate non-panelists as breakout group leaders. However, some people will be lucky to have only the responsibility of contributing to small and larger group discussions. But remember, such discussions are the heart of this workshop! 

Prior to the meeting, we will establish a web site. Panelists may, if they so choose, post a draft of their position statements on the web site for preview. Since we will be expanding on the statements in a reactive manner during discussion and breakout times, I'm sure participants would appreciate any material thus posted, together with 2-3 selected relevant articles. 

Hope this clarifies some procedural issues. Further questions can be sent to Scott and Reg as they arise, and we'll keep in touch. 

Finally, due to some people being unable to attend, our revised panels are: 

Friday: Mike Gerber, Janellen Huttenlocher, Roger Downs, Gary Allen, David Mark, Barbara Buttenfield, and Dedre Getner. 

Saturday: Lynn Liben, Sarah Witham-Bednarz, Susan Hardwick, Rich Mayer, Ron Eyton, Ed Cornell, and Rickie Sanders. 

We would also like everyone to send a one-paragraph bio-sketch and 3 references to your own work; this material will be distributed to all participants and/or placed on the web-site in a timely manner. 

A reminder. Please make air travel reservations early, and if possible, stay over Saturday night to get lower fares. Each person should have made their own reservations with the Upham Hotel. Room charges are the same for one or two people, so if you can arrange to share with someone you know, all the better. For Santa Barbara restaurant information, contact LaNell Lucius, Varenius Program Management Officer. 

Thanks to everyone for agreeing to participate. We'll be in touch.