Use ’em or lose ’em – The case for teaching navigational skills

Schools should teach navigational and map reading skills to ensure future generations do not lose their innate ability to navigate in the world, so says Roger McKinlay, former president of the Royal Institute of Navigation in the United Kingdom.

In this commentary, the author argues that turning to technology erodes our innate ability to orientate, making us vulnerable when systems go down – as they often do in large cities where buildings or jammers may block GPS signals. Making digital systems smarter and more reliable may be too expensive for government, and newer technologies may not be immune to errors.

Original research paper published in Nature on March 30, 2015.

Names and affiliations of selected authors

Roger McKinlay, Leatherhead, United Kingdom