Projections and Perceptions Editorial Comments: Learning for the New World of Work Through Geographic Inquiry

As students of geography, you should know that many of the competencies you will need for the world of work can be learned with geography instruction that is issues-based and inquiry-oriented. With this kind of teaching and learning, you see that what goes on in your classes is directly linked to what goes on in the real world. This learning can help you appreciate what John Dewey, the great American philosopher, believed: Education is not merely preparation for life but life itself. Indeed, it is crucial that you believe that learning is one of your most important responsibilities, and that by fulfilling this responsibility you are achieving something highly valuable for yourself, your family, your community, and even the world. It is equally important that you realize that learning will be the most important thing you will do after schooling-that learning is the essential ingredient of the world of work today and especially in the future. This is the position taken by the U.S. Secretary of Labor's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS):