Gi Pedagogy

1. Sophie Wilson
Senior Lecturer Secondary Geography
sophie.wilson@stmarys.ac.uk
Rm K307. Tel: 020 8240 4318
‘Gi-Pedagogy’
“Research implications for
Geography Education during
COVID-19”
A funded research project
1
Annual Open Forum
Sat 31st October 2020

2. 2
Kick-off meeting at St Mary’s University
The aim of project, is to build on past work done on the use of
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Secondary schools,
with a specific focus on Pedagogy and Teacher Training for Early
Career and Trainee Teachers.
Gi-Pedagogy
The partners come from a variety of countries
across Europe including Belgium, Spain,
Romania, Austria and the UK, we met for the
first time in December 2019, to finalise our
plans.
3x Universities:
▪ St Mary’s University
▪ Ugent,
▪ UNED (Madrid)
2x Secondary schools
▪ Liceul Teoretic "Dimitrie Cantemir" Iasi
▪ The Kings School, Ely
Professional Subject Association
▪ EUROGEO
Erasmus+ Project funding secured with
European partners → 3 years …

3. 3
O1: An Innovative Pedagogical Model for Teaching with GIS
O2: Toolkit of innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching with GIS
O3: A teacher training course with innovative pedagogical approaches to
teaching with GIS
O4: Case studies and digital exhibition of outcomes and findings
Innovative Pedagogies for Teaching with Geo-information….…. to provide
teachers with the skills and resources they need to embed Geographic
Information System technology into their geography teaching ……..

4. 4
▪ Teaching with GIS
▪ Approaches to teaching with GIS
▪ Innovative Pedagogies
▪ Training teachers for GIS
2) Small-scale survey of expert teachers
1) Literature review
O1: An Innovative Pedagogical Model for Teaching with GIS

5. 5
Linoit.com

6. 6
O2: Toolkit of innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching with GIS
Resources, materials, training and
case-studies..
Positives:
*Easier access to online GIS CPD and
support video resources etc..
*Increased willingness and opportunities
for teachers to engage with online
learning – expert respondents for teacher
survey
*Online sharing of editable documents all
could contribute to in real time during
the discussion
*Lock down presented the opportunity
for more teaching time with PGCE
trainees to develop their GIS skills and
potential ideas to inform the project
Challenges:
++ informal discussion more limited online
than face to face, to debate ideas
++ more difficult for partners to commit to
whole day meetings when online, due to
pressures of getting cover for already
overworked colleagues
++ pressures on partners due to increased
workload from remote teaching and blended
learning
++ external communication slower -
university enterprise office furlough, British
Council absence
++ outside pressures of the pandemic on
individuals from home – dependants etc..

7. 7
Gantt chart
Looking forward:
Funding changes:
• no longer need to follow Gantt chart
• Subsistence payable for meetings is now transferable to other parts of
the project, if its not possible to travel and meet
• Extensions to projects been allowed where needed

8. 8
O3: A teacher training course with innovative pedagogical approaches to
teaching with GIS
• Review experiences of partner schools in trialling new
approaches to teaching with GIS (face to face?)
• Develop implementation plan for MOOC creation
• Design and develop MOOC content and implementation
How to organise ? How many schools - test
group vs normal school group?
O4: Case studies and digital exhibition of outcomes and findings
• a project conference to communicate, review, and evaluate different approaches
to teaching with GIS (Face to face?)
• create an online 'exhibition' of teachers' findings
• share findings through journal publications
• use case studies to develop quality indicators
What impact will online vs face to face teaching have on
the use of these innovative pedagogies??
What impact will online vs face to face teaching have on
the use of these innovative pedagogies??

9. 9
2) New opportunities?
▪ Online - wider dissemination possible?
▪ Planning needed to ensure access beyond the early adopters!
▪ Pedagogical toolkit for the new normal?
-
1) Lost opportunities?
• Conference cancellations:
❖ Geographical Association accepted but not included in virtual
event
❖ EUROGEO Conference in Madrid postponed for a year
▪ online rather than face to face – WHAT IMPACT?
▪ multiplier events - local engagement?
What is the impact on dissemination?