An overview of Digimap for Schools given at the RSGS convened meeting on Geography and GIS in Scottish Schools on 31 October 2014.

1. Geography & GIS in Scottish Schools
Observations from a Service Provider
31st October 2014
Peter Burnhill & Anne Robertson
(Director & Geodata Services Manager)
EDINA, University of Edinburgh

2. Overview
• EDINA – Who we are & what we do
– Geodata services @ EDINA
– Schools services @ EDINA
• Digimap for Schools & MapStream
– Service take up
• Promoting Digimap for Schools
– Visits to schools/CPD sessions
– Reaching tomorrow’s teachers
• Forward Look
– Primary & Secondary
– Curriculum for Excellence: data handling

3. EDINA: serving research & education across the UK
@ the University of Edinburgh
• @ the University of Edinburgh

4. Geodata services at EDINA

5. Digimap as Flagship Service

6. Launched January 2000: c.15 successful years
2013-14 download stats
20,000 users from 870
departments across 120
institutions

7. Services for Schools at EDINA
http://digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk
http://mapstream.edina.ac.uk
http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot

9. • Online mapping service
1. Contemporary mapping using 8 Ordnance Survey map
products inc. OS MasterMap®: at 12 zoom levels
2. Historic mapping using Ordnance Survey 1 inch mapping
published 1895-1899 (via National Library of Scotland)
• Wide range of functions
– Maps can be annotated, saved, printed, exported
– Annotate with text, points, lines, areas, photos, images
– Measure distances, areas, buffer from point and lines
• Free learning resources, blog and twitter

10. • Suitable for those schools wishing to use
additional GIS software
• Standards-compliant (WMS) data stream of
same mapping stack as DforS
– Data updated regularly
– No data management or storage issues
• Free learning resources

11. Curriculum experts

12. Service(s) uptake
• 126 Scottish secondaries ~34%
(721 in England ~23%, 31 in Wales, 14%)
• 47 Scottish primaries ~2%
(999 in England 6%, 25 in Wales, 2%)
• MapStream 0
(3 in England, 0 in Wales)

13. Promoting Digimap for Schools in Scotland
Exhibited at:
•Scottish Learning Festival 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
•Scottish Association of Geography Teachers 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Presented at:
•Mapping the Nation, organised by Uni of Edinburgh and National Library
of Scotland for Teachers of Scottish History, April 2014
•Year of Commemorations, organised by Education Scotland for primary
teachers, March 2014
•Glasgow City Council Social Studies, Principal Teachers, October 2013
•North Lanarkshire Social Studies, Principal Teachers, November 2013
Ordnance Survey mail campaign

14. … on the road
CPD sessions held:
•Dunblane High School, September 2012, organised by SAGT
•Hamilton Academy, Hamilton, February 2013
•Bellahouston Academy, November 2013, Glasgow City Council QIO
•Pirie Park Primary, November 2013 org by Glasgow City Council QIO
•Airdrie High School, Caldervale Computing C, North Lanarkshire QIO
•St Charles Primary, Cathcart, November 2013
•Perth Academy, November 2013
•St Marks Primary, Rutherglen, January 2014
•Barrhead High School, Glasgow, February 2014
•Bell Baxter High School, Fife, May 2014 (primary and secondary)
•Aberdeen City Council Primary and Secondary October 2014
•Broomhill Primary, Glasgow, October 2014
Let loose with:
•2 classes of S4 pupils @ Balwearie High School, September 2014

15. Our key messages
• Curriculum relevant as
whole of school resource
- History,
- Biology,
- PE,
- Maths
• cross curricular

16. Curr.forExcellence: experiences & outcomes
• SOC 1-14a Through activities in my local area, I have developed my
mental map and sense of place. I can create and use maps of the
area.
• SOC 1-13a Having explored the landscape of my local area, I can
describe the various ways in which land has been used.
• SOC 1-02a By exploring places, investigating artefacts and locating
them in time, I have developed an awareness of the ways we
remember and preserve Scotland’s history.
• SOC 1-03a I can use evidence to recreate the story of a place or
individual of local historical interest.

17. Curr.forExcellence: experiences & outcomes
• SOC 2-02a I can interpret historical evidence from a range of periods
to help to build a picture of Scotland’s heritage and my sense of
chronology.
• SOC 2-10 Having explored my local area, I can present information
on different places to live, work and relax and interesting places to
visit.
• SOC 2–13a I can explain how the physical environment influences the
ways in which people use land by comparing my local area with a
contrasting area.
• SOC 2-14a To extend my mental map and sense of place, I can
interpret information from different types of maps and am beginning
to locate key features within Scotland, UK, Europe or the wider world.

18. Curr.forExcellence: experiences & outcomes
• SOC 3-14a I can use a range of maps and geographical information
systems to gather, interpret and present conclusions and can locate a
range of features within Scotland, UK, Europe and the wider world.
• SOC 4-14a I can use specialized maps and geographical information
systems to identify patterns of human activity and physical processes
• MTH 2-17d Having investigated where, why and how scale is used
and expressed, I can apply my understanding to interpret simple
models, maps and plans.

19. Spatial analysis within Digimap for Schools
[While not a GIS…] Digimap for Schools provides spatial analysis
techniques such as buffering, presentation of data & data overlay

20. Examples of use in Secondary
Figure 6: Land Use Map - Dunlop

21. Examples of use in Primary

22. Other potential uses in Primary

24. Reaching out to tomorrow’s teachers
Already in use at:
University of Edinburgh Moray House
Dr Simon Beames, Programme Director MSc Outdoor Education
About to be in use at:
University of Strathclyde, HaSS, School of Education
Clare McAlister, PGDE Geography Coordinator
University of Aberdeen, School of Education
Jim McCracken, Programme Director for MA/BSc with Education Degrees &
Tutor for Social Subjects
Looking for contacts at:
University of Stirling
University of Dundee

25. What we have noted: Primary
• hardly any ‘traditional’ geography in primary
– (doesn't need to be under CforE)
• some primary teachers not comfortable with maps,
or geography
• new teachers from 1-year pg courses have small
exposure to geography resources (compared to numeracy
and literacy)
• challenge of technology
– need to be familiar with service before working with pupils
– IT competencies especially digitising
• access to ICT suite – need to book room or trolley!

26. What we have noted: Secondary
• Merger of Geography into Social Studies Dept
– Department head may be teacher of history/ modern studies
– lone geography teacher may not get support
• Limited time to plan how to integrate it into lessons
– prescriptive lesson plan / wish to know how other use DforS
• Technology / IT Challenge, e.g. digitising
• Access to ICT – need to book rooms or trolley
• [MapStream - don’t get it]

27. Ending on a high note: good news!
Top Scottish school user in September 2014 was a primary
(making 4 x as many maps as top Welsh secondary)
Enthusiasm for DforS in National 4 & 5 added value units
Starting to ask for more!
• to have other data to overlay (esp. socio economic)
• for multiple points on maps: gpx readings or postcodes
• to select (turn on/off) features
• to use the buffer tool to select other features
A welcome challenge for us as service provider, as these
demonstrate growing understanding of more advanced
spatial techniques!