Gold Rush (Inquiry-Based Learning)

Gold Rush – Then and Now with GIS Inquiry-Based Learning Pilot Course South Queens Junior High Gerard Eddy and Warren Dobson

Gold Rush and GIS• In 2008, we in the geomatics community, initiated a preliminary investigation into the perceived impacts education has on our field. • Early in 2009, GeoNOVA conducted workshops with industry, recent geomatics grads, public schools and post secondary educators.

Education and Geomatics Gaps and Opportunities“The primary finding of the initiative is the common perception thatawareness of geomatics is both the greatest challenge to thegrowth of the industry in Nova Scotia and also the area with thegreatest opportunities.” • Develop materials and resources to increase data use • Promote awareness of geomatics with DOE • Expose public school teachers to geomatics • Provide support to geomatics projects at all education levels • Facilitate workshops with group representatives.

Gold Rush and GISThree questions came from speaking with Warren at a party:• How do we get the message out about Geomatics? As an industry,we face the same demographic shift as other professions.(Education and Geomatics Gaps and Opportunities, 2009)• How do we transfer the spatial skills needed in the 21st Century?Social Media use and Location Based Information (LBI) explosion• What more could we be doing?It shouldn’t cost much to make a HUGE difference.

Gold Rush and GIS• GIS crosses disciplines so well it can be used in many subject areas: – Geology – Biology – Geography and Social Studies – Mathematics and Statistics – Physics and engineering – Chemistry (minerals, streams, air) – And many more…….

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes theexisting model obsolete." - Buckminster Fuller

The NEW School

Student Engagement

INQUIRY-BASED LEARNINGAuthentic learning experiencesPowerful driving questionIn-depth learning - Multiple outcomesCollaborative work/Common goalStudent choice >>> Empowerment21st century skills

Gold Rush and GIS• Exploration game created from education mash- up. – COGS type field game…..survey students – COGS type analysis and GIS use (sort of) – SIFT OIL exploration game in Calgary

Technology We Leveraged• From Then….. – Compass, topographic maps, paper theme maps and measured pace. Azimuths, Quadrant bearings, hand samples. – Gold pan (sluice, hammer, hand lens) – 100 ft Measuring tape – Pencil, paper, Navigation protractor, ruler/scale.

Technology We Leveraged• And NOW… – Compass, topographic maps, paper theme maps and measured pace. Azimuths, Quadrant bearings, hand samples. – Laptop Computer, iPad, iPod Touch, YouTube (Geospatial revolution [Penn State]) – Quantum GIS, GeoNOVA Portal WMS layers – Surveying equipment, and GPS principles

Technology We Leveraged• 21 Century skills , Looking Ahead….. – QR codes – Mineral Identification apps – Compass app – Multi media/presentations – Measurement conversion and triangulation concepts – Information research, evaluation and capture – Economic, Environment, Human impacts of activities – Technological benefits from mining (Worth it?)

Video (about 13 minutes).

Thanks team….SNSMR & GeoNOVA, DNR, GANS Education committee, SSRSB, Steve Prest, Leo Campbell, Peggy Zwicker, BarbBrown, Nancy Saunders, Ed Light, COGS & NSCC, Neil Ormerod, Dave Wedlock, Stacy Kaulback, Mick O’Neil, JohnMcMullin, Alan Wentworth, Karen Dobson, Darren and Teresa Webb. And of course…… Thanks to you: For your time, interest and continued support for initiatives that are so meaningful to all of us.Questions?

Gold Rush (Inquiry-Based Learning)

by Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) on Jun 27, 2012

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 163

Statistics

Gold Rush (Inquiry-Based Learning) Presentation Transcript