What is GENIP?
The Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) is a coordinating committee for a consortium of geographic associations committed to improving the status and quality of geography education in the United States. It was organized in 1985 by the
What is GENIP's Mission?
The purpose of the GENIP Coordinating Committee is to support communication and collaboration among the four national geography organizations (Association of American Geographers, American Geographical Society, National Council for Geographic Education, and National Geographic Society) on issues, initiatives, projects, and activities related to advancing K-12 geography education.
The GENIP Coordinating Committee’s goals are to:
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Serve as a catalyst and idea generator for supporting and advancing geography education at the K-12 level
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Encourage, develop or identify, and support geography education projects through appropriate organizations and/or individuals
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Identify or encourage the formation of collaborations in support of advancing geography education
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Initiate and support projects focused on implementation of the National Geography Standards
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Present a unified voice on issues of policy, research, and developments in geography education
GENIP Coordinating Committee goals will be accomplished through a variety of activities including but not limited to:
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Establishing formal committees or task forces funded by GENIP funds to complete a defined task
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Establishing short-term or standing working groups to complete tasks
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Drafting joint statements on behalf of GENIP members
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Coordinating proposal writing for external grant funds for collaborative organizational projects
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Designating and funding an organization or individual to complete a defined task on behalf of GENIP
The GENIP Coordinating Committee is comprised of appointed representatives from each of the four national geography organizations. The committee holds quarterly conference calls and one face-to-face meeting each year. GENIP is currently chaired by Mr Harris Payne. The Coordinating Committee Guidelines are here.
What is the Origin of GENIP?
In 1984 a joint committee of the National Council for Geographic Education and the Association of American Geographers published Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools. This 28 page booklet informed educational decision makers about the need to enrich geography programs in the schools of the United States through the introduction of five organizing themes. The Guidelines provided a blueprint that improved the teaching and learning of geography and also complemented the National Geography Standards when they were published a decade later. Acting upon the favorable public response to the Guidelines, the NCGE and AAG agreed to combine efforts to implement the recommendations of the Guidelines nationwide. On July 1, 1985, the American Geographical Society and the National Geographic Society joined with the NCGE and the AAG to form the Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP).