EDGIS '96 Pedagogy Isssues Group

Pedagogical Issues Group

Submitted by: Richard Audet, Charlie Fitzpatrick, and Douglas Gordin

Editorial comments on this section should be directed to Richard Audet.

Assumptions

Functioning classrooms are ideally the theaters in which this research is conducted. Formative work on curriculum and materials development may need to occur under more structured conditions or in lab settings.
In pre-college curricula, teaching and learning with GIS constitutes the principal application of GIS.
The optimal use of GIS is not as a prop for didactic instruction, but as a tool for supporting project-based learning.

Elements of the Research Program

Subjects of study: all of the stakeholders in the GIS supported teaching and learning environment. Software developers Data suppliers University educators School teachers and administrators Research scientists Students.
Sample population: teachers participating in studies should be drawn from diverse populations, e.g., urban/suburban, subject areas, amount of experience, etc.
Research setting: the classroom and beyond. Action research is a dynamic approach dedicated to the analysis and improvement of teaching practice.
Topics for analysis: Changes in teaching practice Inquiry based instruction Interdisciplinary connections Project based teaching Problem based teaching GIS and educational reform School wide impacts Strategic partnerships
Method: Identify exemplars of particular objects of analysis. Apply a case study approach. Another potential approach is via collaborative action research agendas.

Questions: Educational Reform

What instructional practices of teachers who use GIS encourage or support the goals and approaches of systemic educational reform?
What aspects of the setting in which GIS is used contribute to the goals of educational reform?
Does this situation vary among content areas?
What aspects of the educational setting foster/promote interdisciplinary connections when GIS is infused into the curriculum?
How is GIS being integrated with other educational applications of technology?

Questions: Impact of GIS Technology on Teachers and Teaching

What characteristics of GIS technology appeal to teachers?
Are there essential skills/attitudes/beliefs/predispositions/prior training goal structures that contribute to effective teaching with GIS?
Are the above skills/attitudes/beliefs/predispositions/prior training/goal structures different for teaching with GIS than for other educational technologies?
How is the process of teacher change supported or enhanced by a GIS-rich environment?
How are instructional practices affected by the presence of GIS technology in the classroom?
For teachers who use GIS, how does the progression from novice to expert occur?
Are teachers personal and professional relationships changed by their association with GIS technology (e.g., peer interactions, community outreach, new collaborations, etc.)?
What strategies do teachers use that help students relate digital data to places in the real world?

Questions: Impact on the School

What are the entry points for GIS technology in the curriculum?
How does GIS fit into different educational settings?
What are the different models for introducing GIS into the curriculum (e.g., one teacher/one computer, GIS lab, etc.)?
What are the details of the implementation sequence from adoption to full scale implementation?
What are some examples of the impact of GIS within school communities?
What administrative roles/styles facilitate the inclusion of GIS as a school-based educational technology?
How does diffusion of GIS technology occur within schools?
Does the school library/media center have an impact on the curriculum integration of GIS?

Questions: Strategic Partnerships

What is the potential for GIS to serve as a common ground between schools and GIS professionals?
What impact does GIS have on the relationship between schools and the community?
What is the nature of successful school and business/government partnerships that include GIS technology?