OUDE PGCE Geography 2011/2012
School-Based Activities
SBA 9: Using e-learning in geography teaching
Purposes
These tasks are designed to help you to (i) expand your knowledge and understanding of the use of
digital technology to assist geographical learning and (ii) develop your professional skills in this area.
Please note that during S1 weeks there will be a one or two week continuous period when you will
not be allowed to use PowerPoint. Your mentor will decide when this will be in negotiation with
you.
David Mitchell (Institute of Education, University of London) argues that the part that digital
technology plays in geographical learning is complex and can be oversimplified, with evaluations of its
use often boiling down to the motivational benefit. Young people, however, use and think about digital
technology differently to the older generation and this is reflected both in what and how they learn.
It is quickly apparent that any technology, be it mobile phone, ipod, or personal computer, influences
how young people make sense of their world today. He makes two important points. Firstly, digital
technology should be critically evaluated with the learning outcome of its use kept in mind, and
secondly a good starting point for considering e-learning is the young person's world.
He goes on to say:
In geography the real world surely holds greater value than the virtual. For young people especially,
geographical education (formal or informal) should encourage time spent being physically active outside
in the real world, and for some, less time sitting in front of a screen. This may sound negative, but
digital technologies are seductive (clever design and incessant media messages ensure this) but do
young people really wish to watch a screen rather than being in the real world? There has to be a
consequential validity to using digital technologies. Beginning teachers should keep the learning aim
and outcome in mind when bringing e-learning to their lessons. We should explore how ICT can bring
both geographical and other learning advantages, but we must also avoid the Everest effect - of simply
using ICT because it's there.
The Tasks
1. Discuss with your mentor the digital applications commonly used in the Geography Department; the
list overleaf is a useful start; please add to the list as necessary. Record your mentor’s views on
the benefits and any potential problems of using these.
2. Identify with your mentor a lesson in which you could use ICT before the end of term and book
any rooms or equipment you may require in plenty of time. With your mentor evaluate the use of
the particular application/tool.
3. In addition to this single lesson, at other times during J weeks and during S1 and S2 weeks plan
and use a range of different digital applications/tools to support geographical learning in your
classroom (this will be a gradual build up). These could include:
Google Earth
the use of music
video making (teacher and/or student editing and filming such as moviemaker)
virtual fieldwork (e.g. using/making an interactive map etc)
data gathering using a data logger (if the school has data logging equipment)
blogging
The use of games (such as on Juicy Geography – see Resources page)
Each time you use a new application/tool complete an evaluation of its use and share with your
mentor and geography interns, using the following questions:
e-learning in geography
1. Is the application/tool being used ‘because it’s there’?
2. Is the application/tool allowing the teacher/students to do old things in old ways?
3. Is the application/tool allowing the teacher/students to do old things in new ways?
4. Is the application/tool creating new and different learning experiences for the students?
5. If it is, how effective is it? Why is it effective?
6. Identify specifically the geographical knowledge that has been acquired by the students and
the way(s) in which their geographical understanding has been developed. Identify any
geographical skills that have been used and/or developed.
7. Anything else you wish to add to help others use the application/tool effectively.
To help support your fellow interns professional development upload the evaluation onto WebLearn –
see specific forum: Using e-learning in geography.
4. At the end of the PGCE course interns will write a brief report (no more than 1 side of A4) on
their findings/experience of using e-learning in geography.
Digital Application Benefits Potential problems
Interactive whiteboard
Portable laptops
Programmes such as Word (for
student drafting/ writing) and
Power Point (teacher and
student presentations)
Data handling and/or modelling
(e.g. EXCEL spreadsheet)
The use of video clips (such as
Geography at the movies)
The use of animations of
geographical processes (such as
on Juicy Geography website –
see Resources page)
Internet, notably using a web
browser
Geographical Information
Systems (GIS)
Department/school
website/intranet