This document provides an overview of using the Digimap for Schools online mapping resource in Scottish classrooms and outdoor learning. It discusses how maps can enhance social studies curriculum by providing context, revealing information, and presenting data. Examples are given of how Digimap for Schools can be used to explore places near and far, identify features, plan routes, study wildlife habitats, map where food comes from, examine historical changes to places, explore past events, and map tourism features. An demonstration of the resource is provided, along with hands-on exercises and information on subscription pricing.

1. The impact for learning and teaching of
using Digimap for Schools in Scottish
classrooms and outdoors
Carol Blackwood
EDINA Geoservices Support
Education Scotland Digital Learning Day 21st
March 2015

2. • Introduction
• Why use online mapping in Social Studies
• Ideas and examples
• About Digimap for Schools
• Demonstration
• Hands on exercises
• Wrap up and questions

4. Social studies is about understanding places
Maps:
Context
Reveal information
Presentation of data
Essential skills
Online mapping adds the bonus of using IT

5. Explore different places near and far

6. Identify features
Tourist features and
amenities
Learn about places through maps, mapping skills, symbol recognition, understanding
scale

7. Identify features
Identify landscapes
and habitats –
mountains, forests,
sea, coastal, lochs
Learn about places through maps, mapping skills, symbol recognition, understanding
scale

8. Plan routes
Health and wellbeing, preparation for outdoor learning trips, mapping skills, data
presentation.

9. Studying wildlife
Explore habitats and wildlife
locations. Find an area you
visit with your class. Identify
different habitats (ponds,
river, sea, grass, forest) and
talk about what they look
like on the map and in
reality.
Hunt for evidence of wildlife
and mark on maps where
signs were found (poo,
nibbled nuts, scratch marks
on trees, animal track)
Map skills, understanding maps, spatial analysis, learning about places and their
wildlife

10. Where does our food
come from?
Identifying locations, sense of place, distance, map skills

11. Historic mapping changing
places
Understanding
places, change over
time

12. Historic mapping changing
places
Understanding
places, change over
time

13. Exploring the past of locations, industrial changes, past societies

14. Exploring the past of locations, industrial changes, past societies

15. Exploring historic events,
telling stories with maps
Adding context to a
historic event, map
skills, interpretation
and presentation

16. Exploring historic events,
telling stories with maps
Adding context to a
historic event, map
skills, interpretation
and presentation

17. Exploring historic events,
telling stories with maps
Adding context to a
historic event, map
skills, interpretation
and presentation

18. Tourism
Maps to present evidence of tourism, explore
features, map skills, data presentation,
understanding places and Scottish culture

19. • Online mapping
Ordnance Survey current
and historic mapping
• Whole of GB coverage
• Range of scales
• View, annotate and print
• Present your own
information, measure
distances, add maps to
reports, print maps to
take outside

20. • Free resources
• Comprehensive help
pages
• Videos
• Helpdesk
• Twitter, blog

21. • Whole of school resource - History, Biology, PE,
Maths
• Annual subscription charge
– £69 Primary
– £86.25 Secondary < 604
– £120.75 Secondary < 1659
– £143.75 Secondary 1660+
• Easy online registration process with immediate
access

22. www.digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk

23. Thank you for attending this workshop.
Contact details:
Carol Blackwood
carol.blackwood@ed.ac.uk
Digimap for Schools support:
edina@ed.ac.uk 0131 650 3302