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Understanding the potential new roles for mobile computer technologies for teaching Geography fieldwork: using GIS and social networking to enhance learning opportunities

Project Rationale

The rationale for this project stemmed from a field course that was led by the authors in New Zealand, in April 2011, but also other field courses undertaken within the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences (IGES). During these courses it was felt that the use of mobile technologies might have the potential to enhance learning in the field. Traditionally, geography field teaching has primarily been based on a 'stand and deliver' form of teaching, as a member of staff would talk the students through an exercise or information, with support from a printed field handbook. More recently, field centres have Internet connected computers which allow students to undertake further research and be shown further information through different mediums (e.g. video) either at the start or end of the field day. The increasing availability of digital mapping and remote sensing data and the ability to view spatial information at different scales and angles (i.e., 3D) has become the norm with software such as Google Earth, and the use of these technologies, alongside traditional teaching methods, can significantly enhance students interaction and access to information. Another recent technology, which has gained wide acceptance and use, is social networking, where individuals form wider groups through the Internet sharing information and opinions. Therefore, introducing digital technologies into fieldwork teaching not only enhances learning, but is becoming increasingly essential as technology plays a larger role in how we understand and view our environment.

Following this rationale, Peter Bunting and Carina Fearnley were awarded £2,190 from the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Fund for Wales for the project titled ‘Understanding the potential new roles for mobile computer technologies for teaching Geography fieldwork: using GIS and social networking to enhance learning opportunities’. The project investigated how new forms of mobile technology can be used to allow new forms of media, datasets and methods of social interaction to be used within the field to enhance student learning, using the New Zealand North fieldtrip in 2011 (and 2012) as case study.

Abstract

The project investigated how mobile technology can be used to allow new forms of media, spatial datasets, and social interaction to be used within Geography fieldwork to enhance student learning. There is increasing pressure to make fieldwork more effective, given time and financial limitations. Consequently, a wider variety of learning styles should be used to keep students engaged, and increase the content taken from each session. To achieve this it is vital that students are provided the opportunity to move through the learning Kolb cycle, while also catering for differing learning traits. It was this project's intention to help cater for these learning styles by introducing visual, aural, and tactile approaches. The project conducted a day workshop with five students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, to redo fieldwork that was conducted during the previous academic year, but using an iPad to determine any benefits of using this technology. For the workshop a sample information pack, including multimedia content was developed for use on an iPad through a number of applications, including Google Earth, Twitter and Flipboard. Student feedback was obtained from an online survey and a group discussion.   Results have indicated that the applications were easy to use and helped provide information in a more appealing format. All students found the iPad useful in the field, particularly for GIS tasks. It is clear from our small sample, that using technologies in the field ensures students are taught through different mediums, allowing students to interface with a number of different learning styles.

Further dissemination

Peter Bunting and Carina Fearnley presented their paper ‘Understanding the potential new roles for mobile computer technologies for teaching Geography fieldwork: using GIS and social networking to enhance learning opportunities’ at the Enhancing Fieldwork Learning Showcase Event, 16th-18th September 2011 at FSC Margam Park, South Wales. The ‘field’ based showcase event provided the opportunity for practitioners to come together to share and exchange their fieldwork teaching practice and is part of a Higher Education Academy National Teaching Fellowship Scheme Project.

• Web link to event: http://www.enhancingfieldwork.org.uk/index.html
• Link to video of presentation summary by Bunting and Fearnley: http://www.enhancingfieldwork.org.uk/videosummary.html

The outputs from this teaching innovation can be downloaded here:

• HEA iPad Final Report
• Showcase Report