A presentation by Karl Donert at the online GI Forum conference in 2021 on July 8th. This online event had more than 800 participants from over 60 countries. The presentation outlines the work achieved by the project on developing an innovative pedagogical approach to integrating GIS in the classroom. It also introduced the forthcoming activities to develop training for teachers.

1. Karl Donert, Education Consultant
Vice President EUROGEO,
kdonert@yahoo.com
GI Pedagogy: Innovative approaches
for teaching with geoinformation

2. About the project
● Builds on GI-Learner project (2015-2018)
● Aim: Development of Pedagogies and
Teacher Training materials for Early
Career and Trainee Teachers
● E+ project 2019-2022
● 6 Partners
2
3 Universities:
▪ St Mary’s London, Ghent, UNED (Madrid)
2 Secondary schools
▪ Liceul Teoretic "Dimitrie Cantemir" Iasi,
Kings School, Ely
Professional Subject Association
▪ EUROGEO

3. GI Learner Project
A spatially literate student …
has the following characteristics
• Habit of mind of thinking spatially – knows
where, when, how and why to think spatially
• Practices spatial thinking in an informal way
• Adopts a critical stance to spatial thinking –
evaluating the quality of spatial data,
uses spatial data to construct …
National Research Council, 2006, Learning to think spatially: GIS as a Support
System in the K-12 Curriculum, Washington DC, National Academy Press

4. GI Learner Project
Outcomes
• Study materials created by teachers for 6
years of study (K7-K12) – evaluated by pupils
• Available at www.gilearner.eu

5. GI Learner – GI-Pedagogy
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/

6. GI Pedagogy
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/gi-pedagogy/
…. to provide teachers with
the skills and resources
they need to embed GIS
into their geography
teaching
… through using innovative
pedagogical approaches
Rosenshine, B., 2012. Principles of instruction: Research-based
strategies that all teachers should know. American educator, 36(1), p.12.
Sherrington, T., 2019. Rosenshine's Principles in Action. John Catt
Educational.

7. Innovative Pedagogical
Model for Teaching with GIS
1. Literature review
▪ Teaching with GIS
▪ Approaches to teaching
▪ Innovative Pedagogies
▪ Training teachers for GIS
▪ Recommendations for
teacher professional development

8. Innovative Pedagogical
Model for Teaching with GIS
Recommendations for
… planning teacher training courses (real needs,
curriculum, involve teachers, Rosenshine...)
… approaches to teacher training courses (various
active learning approaches, authentic learning
contexts, enquiry driven…)
… pedagogies (critical thinking, spatial citizenship)
… practical recommendations based on student
learning and tools and
... networking (communities of practice, support)

9. Innovative Pedagogical
Model for Teaching with GIS
2. Small-scale research survey of expert teachers
Expert teacher is a Leader and Pioneer – able to pass on
knowledge, critique existing practice and build on this to
develop their own approaches

10. Innovative Pedagogical
Model for Teaching with GIS
2. Small-scale research survey of expert teachers

13. Pedagogical Intentions actions
Knowledge
Understanding
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Innovative pedagogical
approaches

14. Rosenshine - Principles
of Instruction
• Based on simple model of how the brain works
 working memory limited + learning needs to
develop schema in the long-term memory
 connect new information to existing knowledge
 reinforced by practice for more fluent retrieval
to reduce cognitive overload
 increase working memory capacity for new learning
 difference between novice and expert learners

15. Rosenshine - Principles of
Instruction
• Clearer guidance for teachers (grouping ideas)
 Sequence + model – small steps + scaffold
 Question – ask to check understanding
 Review/ reflect on material regularly
 Practice – guided and independent
Modelling the brain
(Sherrington, 2019)

16. Adapting
Rosenshine’s
principles
Rosenshine, B., 2012. Principles of
instruction: Research-based strategies that all
teachers should know. American educator,
36(1), p.12.
Sherrington, T., 2019. Rosenshine's Principles
in Action. John Catt Educational.
Sequencing
Questioning
Reviewing
Practicing
GI Pedagogy

17. Teacher training course
• Show innovative pedagogical approaches to
teaching with GIS
• Review experiences of partner schools in
trialling new approaches (face to face?)
• Implementation plan for MOOC creation
• Design and develop MOOC content and
implementation
What impact will online
vs face to face teaching
have on the use of
innovative pedagogies?
How to organise?
How many schools -
test group vs normal
school group?

18. DigCompEdu Framework: European
Commission’s 6 digital competences

19. Case studies, digital
exhibition of outcomes
• a project workshop (multiplier) to
communicate, review, and evaluate different
approaches to teaching with GIS
• online 'exhibition' of teachers' findings
• share findings through publications
• case studies used to develop quality
indicators
How will the pandemic
influence teaching and
GI pedagogies?

20. Karl Donert
kdonert@yahoo.com
@karldonert
Presentation:
https://bit.ly/3pMEa4n