Abstract:
The project adopted an innovative curriculum design to enhance student’s learning of geographical literacy by using an information and communication technology-assisted spatial inquiry (ISI) approach. The project team designed two blended-learning modules at secondary-school level that employ GIS as a spatial analytical tool to investigate real-world geographical problems and issues. Each module contains 2 parts: Introduction of the tool and spatial analytical techniques, along with an inquiry-based learning activity. The module content and their pedagogical design are highly coherent to the current geography curriculum of senior secondary schools. Two groups of students took part in the project. Twelve senior year undergraduate students who studied DSE geography acted as student-instructordevelopers. They were trained to teach using the modules and reflect upon its usage with reference to the barriers of its adoption in a school setting. The feedback from student-users were used in planimplement-review-improve cycle to further develop the modules. Subsequently, the student-instructors applied the module and transferred spatial inquiry knowledge and skills to 31 year-one BEd geography students in the latter half of the project. This project represented an initiative of the EDUHK to be reinvolved in geographical education in Hong Kong.
Code:
T0169
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
Start Date:
01 Jul 2016
End Date:
30 Jun 2017
Status:
Completed
Result:
Twelve undergraduate students who studied geography in their DSE and have interest in spatial inquiry approach were recruited and divided into 4 teams. These student-instructor-developer when through a blended learning package including a background learning website, three workshops and were guided to develop learning modules after training. They applied their modules on 30 first year BEd geography students. A pre-post-test design was adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. Results from the quantitative survey suggest that the student-instructor gained knowledge in all domains under the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework. Knowledge based questionnaire were used to assess the effectiveness of the module. Results indicated that three out of four group improved in the assessment. This illustrated the ISI module effectively promote students’ understanding of certain geographic concepts and issues.
Impact:
The direct impact of the project enhances learning effectiveness (1) in geography teaching of 12 students; and (2) of geographical concepts and skills of 30 students (a total of 42 students). The modules are also adopted in relevant BEd geography courses, and can benefit of at least 30 students every year that follows. The impact of the project will also extend beyond the students in EdUHK for a wider community of geography practitioners in schools can also benefit from the project deliverables through the project webpage.
Deliverables:
Teaching and Learning Resources/ Materials (including online resources)
Geographic Information Systems Online Manual (https://sites.google.com/view/tdg-project-online-gis-manual-/introduction)
Financial Year:
2015-16
Type:
TDG