scholarly journals Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual fieldtrips in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 11115-11130
Author(s):  
D. G. Kingston ◽  
W. J. Eastwood ◽  
P. I. Jones ◽  
R. Johnson ◽  
S. Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Technology ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Physical Geography ◽  
Field Trip ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Positioning Systems ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Virtual Field ◽  
Virtual Field Trip

Abstract. Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field trip for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field trip over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field trip in particular). We believe our experiences are directly relevant to the implementation of such novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

scholarly journals Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual field tours in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 1281-1286 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Kingston ◽  
W. J. Eastwood ◽  
P. I. Jones ◽  
R. Johnson ◽  
S. Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Technology ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Physical Geography ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Positioning Systems ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Virtual Field

Abstract. Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field tour for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field tour over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field tour in particular). Our experiences are highly relevant to the implementation of novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

scholarly journals From Virtual Field Trip to Geologically-Reasoned Decisions in Yosemite Valley

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas C. Barth ◽  
Greg M. Stock ◽  
Kinnari Atit
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Information ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Field Trip ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Spatial Skills ◽  
Yosemite Valley ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Virtual Field ◽  
Virtual Field Trip

Abstract. This study highlights a Geology of Yosemite Valley virtual field trip (VFT) and companion exercises produced as a four-part module to substitute for physical field experiences. The VFT is created as an Earth project in Google Earth Web, a versatile format that allows access through a web browser or Google Earth app with the sharing of an internet address. Many dynamic resources can be used for VFT stops through use of the Google Earth Engine (global satellite imagery draped on topography, 360° street-level imagery, user-submitted 360° photospheres). Images, figures, videos, and narration can be embedded into VFT stops. Hyperlinks allow for a wide range of external resources to be incorporated; optional background resources help reduce the knowledge gap between general public and upper-division students, ensuring VFTs can be broadly accessible. Like many in-person field trips, there is a script with learning goals for each stop, but also an opportunity to learn through exploration as the viewer can dynamically change their vantage at each stop (i.e. guided discovery learning). This interactive VFT format scaffolds students’ spatial skills and encourages attention to be focused on a stop’s critical spatial information. The progression from VFT to mapping exercise to geologically-reasoned decision-making results in high quality student work; students find it engaging, enjoyable, and educational.

The Use of ICTs to Teach Geography in the Classroom: Application examples for Foundation ‐ Grade 6

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-49
Author(s):  
Katrina Scolaro
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Australian Curriculum ◽  
Positioning Systems ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Teachers And Students

The purpose of this article is to analyse the technologies used in current pedagogical practices in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) classroom, in particular geography. It is argued that supporting children to be digitally literate is one of the keys to effective learning in the 21st Century. This article is based on potential practical applications of new technologies and ICTs, and linking them to the Australian Curriculum: Geography. As a preservice teacher, how can I best integrate the use of ICTs and use them to responsibility to enhance the learning of my future students? What quality and variety of ICT resources are available to us, as preservice teachers that will encourage creativity and motivate students and cater for all types of learners in the classroom? Fast, interactive and multimodal ICTs can assist teachers and students to explore the exciting ‘big ideas’ in the HASS classroom and with ICTs including Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems all around us, it makes for new and innovative pedagogy.

Introducing Mobile Technology into an Australian City Council

2011 ◽  
pp. 848-858
Author(s):  
Joanne Marie Curry
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Mobile Technology ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
City Council ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Client Expectations ◽  
Standards And Guidelines ◽  
Australian City ◽  
The University ◽  
Heterogeneous Workforce

In an ongoing bid to provide high quality local government services, Penrith City Council partnered with the University of Western Sydney to derive a mobile strategy for the development of a range of handheld systems for use in the field. Several R&D projects aimed at determining the viability of using mobile technology for the conduct of off-site health, building and development and sewerage inspections and the allocation of parking and waste management infringements were conducted over a two-year period. Some significant issues relating specifically to the implementation of mobile technologies in a large Australian city council were encountered including: release hype vs. the implementation realities of mobile technology, technological options for the introduction of mobility, user acceptance of new technologies, management of client expectations, and local government standards and guidelines and their impact on development directions. The experiences and lessons that were learned from these projects can be of assistance to other local government agencies and similar organisations employing a heterogeneous workforce that is restrained by external legislation and policy.

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