Transportation—Part V

Abstract

This article presents a case study that highlights the benefits and limitations of Web-based video in lab sections of The Geographer’s Craft, an upper-level undergraduate course in which students apply digital geographic methods. Over three years (2010–2013), the authors experimented with different teaching strategies utilizing Web-based video for lab lectures and software demonstrations. This article presents three different approaches for its application, from inside and outside the classroom, to a ”flipped classroom” setting. The authors argue that Web-based video is a valuable tool for teaching digital geographic research methods and techniques while allowing for greater focus on theory and application.     

Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days: Helping Teach the National Geography Standards

Abstract

Consistent with developments in American education pedagogy, geography educators have made great strides exploring a wide range of high- and low-tech methods for teaching and learning geographic concepts. This article draws on a qualitative analysis of essays in which college students discuss tenets of the National Geography Standards in the context of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Most of the students in this study reported that not only did their knowledge of the world increase after completing the course assignment but that their interest in the discipline increased as well.     

A National Survey to Examine Teacher Professional Development and Implementation of Desktop GIS

ABSTRACT

This article examines the results of an online national survey of K–12 educators who attended a series of GIS training workshops conducted by the authors between 1998 and 2004. Data from the self-report survey (N = 186) suggest new information about potential changes in instruction and assessment patterns following GIS training. The survey provides insight for those designing GIS-based professional development, while simultaneously describing relatively little change in instructional methodology. The survey confirms some classroom implementation constraints from an earlier national implementation survey, identifying a lack of time for teachers, variable skill levels among students, and software complexity.     

A Capstone Course of “Geographic Ideas”

Abstract

Through an instructional approach, this article offers a template for a classroom-based geography capstone course grounded in pedagogical elements of synthesis and reflection, as based on exploration of ten key geographic ideas. It provides insights into course goals, structure, and components for instructors who may wish to implement it in geography or in other disciplines, and it situates the template in the general structure of capstone courses detailed in social science literature. The article contributes to geography instruction with a focus on classroom-based capstone courses as an application of teaching and learning undergraduate geography.     

Using inquiry to enhance the learning and appreciation of geography

Abstract

To meet national geography standards, instructional materials using issues-based inquiry are needed. This paper reports on national classroom trials of drafts of Geographic Inquiry into Global Issues (GIGI), a set of inquiry modules for secondary geography. The analysis focuses on three modules about environmental issues, tried by 480 students in 18 schools. Students made significant gains in learning the modules' cognitive and skills objectives, but they showed no change in interest toward studying geography or these environmental issues. Student comments about the modules underscored the necessity of connecting classroom materials about global issues more closely to local experiences. These findings support current models in environmental education. Reflecting this analysis, the published modules now include activities emphasizing inquiry into local issues, to complement the study of global environmental problems. The improved GIGI materials can better meet the goals of both geography and environmental education.     

教育公共服务设施可达性评价与规划——以江苏省仪征市高级中学为例

学校是公共服务设施的重要组成部分,其空间分布以及可达性的优劣,直接影响到受教育者接受教育的机会和方便程度。把可达性的概念引入到教育公共设施的规划中,利用Mapinfo公司的控件MapX和Borland公司的可视化编程语言Delphi,开发了基于时间最短的路径选择信息系统,生成了学校可达性的等时线图和学校服务范围图,通过该系统可直观地看到区域内任何一点到达学校所花费的最短时间以及通过的路径。以江苏省仪征市的高级中学为例,运用该系统对高级中学的可达性进行了评价,并提出了其规划方案。     

GIS In-Service Teacher Training Based on TPACK

Abstract

This article introduces the geographic information systems (GIS) in-service teacher training, focusing on the intersection of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) for successful implementation of GIS in the classroom. Eleven social studies teachers in Georgia learned GIS technologies, inquiry-based learning, and social studies so that they could create technology-enhanced and inquiry-based lessons using GIS technologies. This article reports participating teachers’ opinions and attitudes of the TPACK-based GIS training. It also reports useful pedagogical methods of introducing GIS technologies to students and additional support for teachers to help them use GIS in their classrooms more often.     

How to Design and Present Texts to Cultivate Balanced Regional Images in Geography Education

This article examines possibilities associated with the cultivation of balanced regional images via the use of simple methods. Two experiments based on the primacy effect and the painting picture rule, or visual depiction of regions, were conducted. The results show significant differences in the formation of regional images. More specifically, the presentation of positive prior knowledge and the depiction of regional aspects with strong visual cues led to the formation of regional images that were more balanced. In conclusion, these simple teaching methods are effective for cultivating balanced regional images, an important element of geography education.     

Reform of Teacher Education: An Opportunity for Geographers

Abstract

This paper focuses on the context and major efforts designed to reform teacher education in the nation's universities. An overview of systems governing and impacting teacher education is provided, with focus on the issues and conflicting forces that form the context within which teacher education-and geography education—find themselves. The paper concludes with a discussion of general trends in education reform and renewal and leadership opportunities open to geographers.     

Lens on Climate Change: Making Climate Meaningful Through Student-Produced Videos

Learning about climate change is tangible when it addresses impacts that can be observed close to home. In this program, sixty-four diverse middle and high school students produced videos about locally relevant climate change topics. Graduate and undergraduate students provided mentorship. The program engaged students in research and learning about climate change, and sparked their interest in science careers. Evaluation results showed that students were highly motivated by the experience, developed a genuine interest in their science topic, learned about the scientific process, and developed twenty-first century skills. The program provided a unique and authentic approach to science learning and communication.