Our Mission

The mission of the Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education is to encourage research and provide leadership in the movement to increase research in teaching and learning in geographic education. The Center was named to honor the vast contributions that Mr. Grosvenor and the National Geographic Society have made in advancing the national reform movement in geography.

The vision of the Grosvenor Center is developing and implementing innovative programs and events relative to how students and the general public learn geography. Research comprises an integral component of all these activities, with special attention paid to (1) teaching methods, (2) student and public learning of geography, (3) curriculum, (4) assessment, (5) cognitive mapping, and (6) the uses of technology. The Center’s efforts also serve to influence changes in public policy that elevate the importance of geography in societies throughout the world. The Grosvenor Center serves as a clearinghouse for resources in geographic education including those related to research, teaching, and learning geography.