Aim

To find how GIS can invigorate learning and teaching geography.

Objectives

1. Develop learning and teaching approaches (geography) with GIS
2. Develop professional skills
3. Develop support materials and resources
4. Widen the Spatially Speaking project group
5. Disseminate findings and outcomes to geography teachers and geography educator network

Approach

Spatially Speaking was joint funded by the BECTA ICT subject fund, and ESRI(UK), the commercial provider of ArcView GIS software. ESRI’s ArcView and associated ArcGIS packages, provide industrial power GIS. The decision was taken to focus on the ESRI product for two reasons. Firstly ESRI(UK) have a strong interest in and support for developing GIS for learning in school. Secondly, focusing on a single key GIS package allowed the team to work more closely and to share materials and understandings.

The project used the ‘local solutions’ approach to curriculum development through CPD. This involved recruiting a team of dynamic teachers, from a range of schools. The team came together at a creative planning meeting and each school wrote an action plan. Back in school, action research took place, with the plan worked upon and reviewed with the support of the team.

The outcome was CPD for the teachers involved and curriculum development, shared with the wider geography education community, through the GA website, Annual Conference and journals.

Spatially Speaking participant reports >>>