Title: The Blog: A Tool in Youth Technology Instruction and GIS
Development.
Author: Fatima Abbas
Affiliation: Temple University
Abstract: This paper addresses the question of whether “the blog” can serve as a
tool in the development of basic geographical skills among high school students
as well as an apparatus that enables the centralization of targets in the creation
of a “Community Geographic Information System” (GIS). The central question
queried by the paper is addressed by research occurring in the summer of 2006
under the National Science Foundation funded “ Building Information Technology
Skills” program operated by Temple University. The three-year program divided
into seasonal brackets involves the participation of largely minority students from
Philadelphia high schools. Research supporting the following paper will be
conducted during a four week period during July 5- August 5 in conjunction with
data garnered during the Spring 2006 program. Methods used are two-fold
consisting of analysis of blog development and conduction of post programmatic
interviews with 15 students. Interviews with participants pose 3 basic questions,
regarding their initial and post knowledge of examined technology, the comfort of
use concerning their development of a blog, and changed perceptions of
community enhanced through the application of examined technology and
adjacent instruction. An analysis of blog development will focus on the technical
ability of students to integrate learned geographical skills and instruction into
coherent posts, as well as document the consolidation of target information in
lieu of a hypothetical community geographic information system.