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Aims, Objectives, Participants and Approach


Aim

To find how GIS can invigorate learning and teaching geography.


Objectives

  1. Develop learning and teaching approaches (geography) with GIS
  2. Develop professional skills
  3. Develop support materials and resources
  4. Widen the Spatially Speaking project group
  5. Disseminate findings and outcomes to geography teachers and geography educator network


Participants

2006/07 project team

Project leader: David Mitchell d.mitchell@ioe.ac.uk
ESRI UK support (ArcView & Digital Worlds software): Angela Baker abaker@esriuk.com
Digital Worlds support: Jason Sawle j.sawle@digitalworlds.co.uk
Evaluator: Mary Fargher mgfargher@hotmail.com


Teacher researchers:

Dr Peter O'Connor, Bishops Stortford College
Steve Dunn, Leeds Grammar School
Mark Smith, Leeds Grammar School
Dr Adrian Johnson, Ibstock School, ajohnson@ibstockplaceschool.co.uk
Louise Ellis, Icknield School, Luton
Sarah Cowling, Oakgrove Schol, Milton Keynes
Sergio Mattias, Woodland Middle School, Beds
Denise Freeman, Oaks Park School, Ilford
Neil Lobo, Vyners School
Alex Coulter, Vyners School
Bob Grinham, The Nobel School, Stevenage
Kate West, The Nobel School, Stevenage
Caroline Hone The Nobel School, Stevenage
Robin Ghosal, Crawshaw School, Leeds
Kate West, Crawshaw School, Leeds
Tom Biebrach, Pencoed comprehensive
Ryan Metters, the Grove School, Notts
Kathryn Morrell
Punita Chandel, Marriotts School
Pete Flaxman, Barking Abbey
Matt Brimson ,West Buckland School, Devon
Dave Hymer, West Buckland School, Devon
Sarah Gibbons, QEB school, Barnet


If you would like to join the project please email me d.mitchell@ioe.ac.uk.


Approach

Spatially Speaking is joint funded by the BECTA ICT subject fund, and ESRI(UK), the commercial provider of ArcView GIS software. ESRI's ArcView and associated ArcGIS packages, provide industrial power GIS. The decision was taken to focus on the ESRI product for two reasons. Firstly ESRI UK have a strong interest in and support for developing GIS for learning in school. Secondly, focusing on a single key GIS package allows the team to work more closely and to share materials and understandings.

The project uses the 'local solutions' approach to curriculum development through CPD. This involves recruiting a team of dynamic teachers usually in pairs, from a range of schools. The team comes together at a residential, creative planning meeting and, with input from experts in the field and sharing ideas, each school writes an action plan. Back in school, action research takes place, with the plan worked upon and reviewed with the support of the team.

Meetings of the team are held regularly and support and communication is encouraged throughout. The project is evaluated independently, and a full report published on this website (forthcoming). The outcome is CPD for the teachers involved and curriculum development, shared with the wider geography education community through the GA website, conference and journals.
 
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