Teachers' opinions of the incorporation of GIS in the upper secondary schools in Finland (original) (raw)
Related papers
GIS in school education in Estonia – looking for an holistic approach
The strategic role of GIS for geography education is undoubted, but there is a diversity in understandings with regard to what, when and how to teach. Also, the concept of geo-media has growing popularity in the educational context. Its borderline with GIS is quite fuzzy and changing. In this paper we present the case of Estonia on integrating geo-media and GIS into school education. According to the National Curriculum (NC) of Estonia, students must acquire a wide variety of skills in information technology, therefore a list of compulsory ICT based practical works have been added to the geography curriculum. NC now gives more emphasis to optional subjects. Geoinformatics is one of such elective courses at secondary school level. In order to graduate from secondary school every student needs to compile a research paper in one subject in addition to state exams. Advanced students are given more and more emphasis, their special needs being recognized also by the NC. The Gifted and Talented Development Centre at the University of Tartu and Geography Olympiads have been a means to select and involve students. A centrally hosted web-based school information and management system and supporting activities of the Tiger Leap Foundation are assisting teachers, and e-learning platforms (e.g. Moodle) are used by many schools. Advanced students can join social networks of the professional community (e.g. Estonian Geoinformatics Society), have meetings (e.g. in the Annual GIS Day) and present students' research papers.
Education Sciences
The geographic information system (GIS) is, at the global level, recognized as one of the best ICTs for implementation in the subject of geography. The application of GIS in the Republic of Croatia (RH) lags behind developed countries. The main objective of this research was to examine the attitudes of secondary school students and geography teachers regarding the introduction of GIS in the educational system process. In the period from 3 October 2021 to 27 January 2022, a survey questionnaire was conducted in 30 secondary schools in the RH on a sample of 611 students and 96 teachers. The results have showed that both teachers and students have a positive attitude toward the introduction of GIS for the purpose of teaching geography. More than 80% of teachers believe that GIS is not sufficiently represented in the high school and geography curricula which is recognized as one of the most important factors which limit GIS implementation. A majority (77%) of teachers are not using GIS ...
GIS@school - new didactical aspects of using GIS in geography education
2008
Geographical information systems are an integral though sometimes invisible part of daily life and are used in various fields such as research, planning and administration. Consequently, lesson materials and special GISprograms have been developed for use in German schools. Moreover, using GIS in school has been made compulsory in a number of state curricula. Nevertheless, the GIS use as yet is only inadequately implemented in the school context, especially in non-grammar school and lower secondary education. Reasons for this are complex, but eventually lead to the question which added value the use of GIS can contribute to fostering spatial behaviour competence, which is the central goal of geography education in Germany. Until now however, studies have not dealt with that question, but rather focused on the contribution for GIS use for instance to computer literacy or how students are able to deal with GIS-techniques. Consequently, based on an overview of the current situation of GIS use in schools in Germany, new concepts for fostering spatial behaviour competence through the use of GIS and evaluating associated learning effects will be presented.
International perspectives on teaching and learning with GIS in secondary schools
International perspectives on teaching and learning with GIS in secondary schools, 2012
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.
Ten things higher education needs to know about GIS in primary and secondary education
Transactions in GIS, 1997
T h i s paper aaminu the status of efforts to implement GIS in Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) education in the United States. Factors promoting and impeding the growth and diffusion of GIS are identified and suggestions f$r action on the p l~ of h&a education GIS specialists are made. In the United States more science teachers have adopted GIS d m gcognphy/social studies teachus for several reasons. These include science teacher prrwrvia prepamtion and the essentially diffuent natures of the respective disciplines. Prcservia education and teachers' perceptions of geography emerge as key hctors influencing the diffwion of GIS in K-12 classrooms. The necd f$r d on cognition and GIS Wre d€eaive curricula and instruction M be dwdoped is emphasized. Thrre stntegics directed at h@cc education GIS specialists may help implement this eduational innovation. 'They are: (1 ) modelling GIS i d o n in content h; (2) including GIs in prrservice preparation dwcs; and (3) outreach to professors who tach educational technology to educate than regarding GIs. The addendum by Paul Heinrich which bllows this paper compares US and UK upcricnccs in the &&ion of GIS in elementary and sccondaty schools.
Implementation and Effectiveness of GIS-Based Projects in Secondary Schools
This study aims to provide an understanding of the main obstacles to conducting GIS-based projects in secondary schools and to determine the effects of these projects on students, teachers, and schools. The study was conducted in three public high schools in Turkey. The students first surveyed over 4,015 people in their school districts to understand the main social, environmental, and economic problems in their area, then conducted nine different GISbased projects to help design solutions to these problems. As seen in the study, GIS is a very important teaching and learning tool for secondary schools; however, its effective use depends on planning, motivation, support, resources, time, and enthusiasm, especially for teachers.
European Journal of Educational Studies, 2009
GIS has great potential for the teaching and learning of geography at secondary school level. Despite this potential, however, the use of GIS is not widespread throughout the world today. There are many obstacles which prevent the effective use of GIS in schools. Although GIS has been incorporated into the Turkish secondary school geography curriculum since 2005, Turkey has been struggling to make GIS a widely used tool in geography lessons. There are only a limited number of schools in the country where GIS is used in geography lessons. This prompted many academicians and institutions to develop strategies and materials to assist teachers in using GIS in geography lessons. This study describes a recent initiative taken jointly by Fatih University and ESRI-Turkey to help teachers in implementing GIS in their geography lessons, namely, the preparation of a book entitled GIS for Teachers. By combining theory and practice, the book and software package provides teachers with data, GIS software, GIS-based exercises, methodology, and all other necessary guidance for using GIS in their lessons. This study also discusses the potential and implications of GIS for Teachers for geography education in Turkey by outlining how the book was received by geography teachers and the extent to which it contributed to the integration of GIS into secondary school geography lessons. Approximately six months have passed since the book was first promoted. Around 300 copies of the book with a promotional brochure were delivered to high schools and universities free of charge. So far 700 books have been purchased. Although the book has received favourable attention from academicians and students in many different disciplines, the number of geography teachers who obtained the book has been less than satisfactory. This result indicates that supplying geography teachers with GIS books, software, digital data, and educational materials is not enough to make them use this technology in their lessons. Consequently, a number of other things need to be taken into consideration, such as encouraging and motivating teachers to utilise this technology in their lessons.
GIS in the classroom - challenges and chances for geography teachers in Germany
2007
Substantial GIS skills belong to the essential employability criteria in a wide range of fields that deal with integrating, managing, analysing and presenting spatial data. For this reason, GIS has become part of various German curricula for high school geography education recently. In many cases the teachers' skills do not keep step with those developments. The process of training teachers to use GIS in the classroom is accompanied by many challenges. The situation is made even more complex by a not yet concluded discussion about which role GIS should play in geography education. However, there are also several chances. GIS is a possibilityespecially for young teachers -to hone their professional profile, but it is also said to bring an added value to classroom practice and thus is a topic for all geography teachers in the context of lifelong learning. Based on an identification of open questions and current problems of integrating GIS into teacher education and in-servicetraining, this paper will point out areas where clarification and further research projects are still needed.