1. Sophie Wilson
Senior Lecturer Secondary Geography
sophie.wilson@stmarys.ac.uk
Rm K307. Tel: 020 8240 4318
‘Gi-Pedagogy’
Research implications for teaching
in uncertain times
a funded research project
1
Annual TeachMeet of the
West London Chartered College of Teaching Hub
2. 2
The aim of this 3 year 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
Kick-off meeting
was held at St Mary’s University in December 2019 –
this gave opportunity for partners, who came from a
variety of countries across Europe including Belgium,
Spain, Romania, Austria and the UK, to meet for the
first time, and to finalise 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
3. 3
The project focuses on developing:
1) an innovative pedagogical model for teaching with GIS
2) a toolkit of innovative pedagogical approaches
3) a teacher training course
4) case studies and a digital exhibition of the findings
By researching innovative methods for teaching with GIS ….…. the aim is to provide
teachers with the skills and resources they need to embed the use digital mapping
into their everyday geography teaching ……..
Already technically minded
Face to face allowed informal
discussion of project ideas and to
share academic resources and
books
4. 4
▪ Teaching with GIS
▪ Approaches for teaching with GIS
▪ Innovative Pedagogies linked to cognitive
science and instructional methods
▪ Training teachers for GIS
➢ Small-scale survey of expert teachers
➢ Literature review
Largely unaffected
Change to online survey
1) an innovative pedagogical model for teaching with GIS
6. 6
2) a toolkit of innovative pedagogical approaches
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
allowing partners to contribute in real
time during discussions
*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 themselves from remote teaching
and blended learning
++ external communication slower –due to
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 travel and face
to face meetings not possible
• extensions to projects have been allowed where needed
8. 8
3) a teacher training course
• How to review experiences of partner schools in trialling
new approaches to teaching with GIS (face to face?)
• Design and development of a MOOC
How to organise? How to test this?
• Holding 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 + case studies to develop quality indicators
Impacts moving forward
Need to ask?
What impact will online vs face to face teaching have on the use of these innovative pedagogies??
4) case studies and a digital exhibition of the findings
9. 9
2) New opportunities?
▪ Online – may make wider dissemination possible?
▪ Planning is needed to ensure access goes beyond the early adopters!
▪ What should pedagogical toolkit be for ? What will the new normal be like?
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?
▪ Planned multiplier events - local engagement?
What will the impact be on dissemination?
