Subtitles
Associated Teachers TV programme
Top 10 on the Web Secondary Geography
0001 10:00:05:08 10:00:08:16
(woman) Tired of map mountains?
0002 10:00:08:16 10:00:11:01
Barricaded in with book piles?
0003 10:00:12:16 10:00:15:10
In need of updating
and streamlining?
0004 10:00:15:10 10:00:20:20
Get a whole new perspective -
bring GIS to your classroom.
0005 10:00:20:20 10:00:23:19
(teacher) What we want to be doing
today is some GIS work.
0006 10:00:23:19 10:00:27:02
(narrator) Everybody says that
geographic information systems
0007 10:00:27:02 10:00:29:01
are the best thing
since sliced bread.
0008 10:00:29:01 10:00:32:03
But how can schools' geography
departments make the most of
0009 10:00:32:03 10:00:34:13
this digital data software?
0010 10:00:34:13 10:00:36:22
We've come to HomewoodSchool
in Tenterden, Kent,
0011 10:00:36:22 10:00:40:14
where Dr Gerard O'Sullivan, an
advanced skills geography teacher,
0012 10:00:40:14 10:00:44:21
describes how his department
introduced it into the classroom.
0013 10:00:44:21 10:00:47:20
..we're going to locate
all of our data accurately
0014 10:00:47:20 10:00:51:13
on maps and aerial photographs
of Canterbury. So...
0015 10:00:51:13 10:00:54:08
There was a report by Ofsted
a while ago
0016 10:00:54:08 10:00:57:12
that was critical of some
of the things going on in geography,
0017 10:00:57:12 10:01:00:01
that we weren't exploiting
the potential there.
0018 10:01:00:01 10:01:03:21
So we took GIS as a tool on board
to make our learning more active,
0019 10:01:03:21 10:01:06:17
more enjoyable,
but taking more use of IT.
0020 10:01:06:17 10:01:10:11
So let's make geography a bit more
exciting in terms of how we use
0021 10:01:10:11 10:01:14:22
our information technology.
GIS is a great way of doing that.
0022 10:01:14:22 10:01:17:23
The idea,
how we use GIS in HomewoodSchool,
0023 10:01:17:23 10:01:21:14
is to get it into key stage 4 first,
into the coursework,
0024 10:01:21:14 10:01:23:23
and then cascade it down
into other areas
0025 10:01:23:23 10:01:27:05
as students and staff become
more confident in using it.
0026 10:01:32:07 10:01:35:22
(narrator) Gerard used a data
collecting exercise in Canterbury
0027 10:01:35:22 10:01:39:06
as the vehicle for introducing GIS
into his teaching.
0028 10:01:40:24 10:01:45:08
(Gerard) 5-8-6-4-7.
0029 10:01:45:08 10:01:48:16
We used the Canterbury project,
and have done for a number of years,
0030 10:01:48:16 10:01:50:16
looking at traffic management,
0031 10:01:50:16 10:01:54:04
as our big pilot
to get people on board using GIS.
0032 10:01:54:04 10:01:55:21
The key thing is location.
0033 10:01:55:21 10:01:59:17
We used a GPS, a global positioning
satellite navigator,
0034 10:01:59:17 10:02:03:15
to locate all our data collection
points in Canterbury accurately.
0035 10:02:03:15 10:02:07:20
One of the things we want to do
today is lots of pedestrian counts,
0036 10:02:07:20 10:02:10:04
and we'll try and tie up
with other groups.
0037 10:02:10:04 10:02:12:22
We are...
0038 10:02:12:22 10:02:16:18
15014...
0039 10:02:16:18 10:02:20:24
58145.
0040 10:02:22:15 10:02:25:16
(Gerard) This then allows us
to bring back the field data
0041 10:02:25:16 10:02:28:20
on pedestrian counts, on traffic
counts, on car park surveys,
0042 10:02:28:20 10:02:30:19
our field sketches
0043 10:02:30:19 10:02:34:01
and our environmental impact
which we record on the day,
0044 10:02:34:01 10:02:36:14
bring it back into the lab
0045 10:02:36:14 10:02:39:22
and enter those data
accurately onto the computer.
0046 10:02:39:22 10:02:43:20
What we want to do
is measure the distance
0047 10:02:43:20 10:02:48:10
from where we did our pedestrian
count to the centre of the CBD.
0048 10:02:50:24 10:02:53:01
When we use the GIS,
0049 10:02:53:01 10:02:57:18
that then enables us to locate where
we carried out all these surveys
0050 10:02:57:18 10:02:59:11
and look at the big picture.
0051 10:02:59:11 10:03:01:14
How do our pedestrian counts vary
0052 10:03:01:14 10:03:03:24
in relation to
the central business district?
0053 10:03:03:24 10:03:06:09
How do our traffic flows vary
0054 10:03:06:09 10:03:08:23
according to where we are
on the ring road?
0055 10:03:08:23 10:03:13:19
How do our car park survey prices
alter as we move into the CBD
0056 10:03:13:19 10:03:15:12
or away from the CBD?
0057 10:03:15:12 10:03:17:21
What about our shop transects?
0058 10:03:17:21 10:03:22:04
How do shop types vary as we move
out of the central business district
0059 10:03:22:04 10:03:24:14
and move into
the central business district?
0060 10:03:24:14 10:03:26:13
All these data
we collected on the day
0061 10:03:26:13 10:03:30:17
we were able to accurately map
once we got back to school.
0062 10:03:30:17 10:03:33:02
That improves
the students' analysis,
0063 10:03:33:02 10:03:35:22
improves the discussion chapter
of their coursework,
0064 10:03:35:22 10:03:40:14
hopefully gets them
a better coursework grade.
0065 10:03:40:14 10:03:43:21
We've got to remember that
geographic information systems
0066 10:03:43:21 10:03:45:08
are primarily a tool.
0067 10:03:45:08 10:03:49:08
And what we're going to do is
we're going to remove very slowly
0068 10:03:49:08 10:03:51:04
the aerial photograph
0069 10:03:51:04 10:03:55:11
to reveal what used to be
in this area 200 years ago.
0070 10:03:55:11 10:03:58:15
(Gerard) If you use it well,
it can bring your subject to life.
0071 10:03:58:15 10:04:00:14
You can show photographs, maps,
0072 10:04:00:14 10:04:03:13
historical maps, you can lay them
all on top of each other.
0073 10:04:03:13 10:04:06:21
You can make measurements.
You can do determinations.
0074 10:04:06:21 10:04:09:19
You can identify road patterns,
house patterns.
0075 10:04:09:19 10:04:11:21
You can identify house types.
0076 10:04:11:21 10:04:14:09
You can do hundreds
of different things.
0077 10:04:14:09 10:04:16:12
Seeing through one layer
to another layer
0078 10:04:16:12 10:04:18:07
to find out what used to be there.
0079 10:04:18:07 10:04:22:07
You can import rainfall data,
flooding data.
0080 10:04:22:07 10:04:24:08
You can look at
coastal flooding data.
0081 10:04:24:08 10:04:27:03
There are thousands of things
you can do if you want to.
0082 10:04:27:03 10:04:28:21
An important thing to remember,
0083 10:04:28:21 10:04:32:01
once you start letting the students
use this and fly with it,
0084 10:04:32:01 10:04:35:17
they will go a long way - they're
not bothered by the technology.
0085 10:04:35:17 10:04:37:23
They see it as a tool, they use it.
0086 10:04:39:24 10:04:42:11
I think the best thing
about the GIS system
0087 10:04:42:11 10:04:45:01
is that it's really easy to use.
0088 10:04:45:01 10:04:48:05
I like the fact that the
information's on the computer screen
0089 10:04:48:05 10:04:50:12
and we don't have to do
paperwork any more.
0090 10:04:50:12 10:04:54:22
We can get maps and aerial photos
and compare them.
0091 10:04:54:22 10:04:58:05
When you want to pinpoint where
you are, it's really easy to do.
0092 10:04:58:05 10:05:01:04
You only have to use a pointer
to find the grid reference,
0093 10:05:01:04 10:05:03:20
you don't have to use your eyes
to search about.
0094 10:05:03:20 10:05:05:21
It makes our coursework
a lot easier,
0095 10:05:05:21 10:05:08:01
so we can make it look
more professional.
0096 10:05:10:02 10:05:13:15
(Gerard) The main type of pupils
to benefit will be visual learners,
0097 10:05:13:15 10:05:15:13
the ones who look, learn, see.
0098 10:05:15:13 10:05:19:21
It benefits audio learners in that
their listening skills are engaged,
0099 10:05:19:21 10:05:22:19
they can listen to what's going on.
But they can also see.
0100 10:05:22:19 10:05:24:19
We all learn in each different way.
0101 10:05:24:19 10:05:28:00
The kinaesthetic learners
learn by doing, and they can do.
0102 10:05:28:00 10:05:32:20
They can recreate what they did in
the field, their route, on the GIS.
0103 10:05:32:20 10:05:35:06
They can walk down
the streets they walked down
0104 10:05:35:06 10:05:36:18
looking down from above.
0105 10:05:36:18 10:05:38:23
It will engage those learners.
0106 10:05:38:23 10:05:44:00
I haven't found a student who hasn't
enjoyed using it to some extent,
0107 10:05:44:00 10:05:47:12
whether they be visual,
audio or kinaesthetic learner.
0108 10:05:47:12 10:05:51:04
(narrator) So how do the teachers
of Homewood's geography department
0109 10:05:51:04 10:05:53:11
feel about
the prospect of using GIS?
0110 10:05:53:11 10:05:56:01
I was excited about
using GIS in my teaching
0111 10:05:56:01 10:05:57:21
because I'd used it in university.
0112 10:05:57:21 10:06:00:12
I've only used the program
that we have minimally,
0113 10:06:00:12 10:06:03:04
but I look forward to using it
a lot more in the future.
0114 10:06:03:04 10:06:07:00
Quite daunting at the start because
I'd never used GIS at university,
0115 10:06:07:00 10:06:10:15
so I was quite excited by the fact
of actually bringing it into lessons
0116 10:06:10:15 10:06:14:18
but a bit worried because I'd not
had any experience with it before.
0117 10:06:16:24 10:06:21:08
I introduced GIS into the school
slowly and carefully,
0118 10:06:21:08 10:06:23:03
making sure that it wanted to work.
0119 10:06:23:03 10:06:26:24
You get one hit with staff.
You get many hits with students.
0120 10:06:26:24 10:06:30:09
If you try with a student and it
don't work, they'll try it again.
0121 10:06:30:09 10:06:32:24
If you try something with staff
and it doesn't work,
0122 10:06:32:24 10:06:35:05
that's it,
you've blown your chance.
0123 10:06:35:05 10:06:38:18
On the other hand, on the site
you've got all the data...
0124 10:06:38:18 10:06:41:24
(narrator) The staff receive
some training in the use of GIS
0125 10:06:41:24 10:06:43:24
from their software provider
0126 10:06:43:24 10:06:47:09
before establishing it
as a tool in the classroom.
0127 10:06:47:09 10:06:51:21
One of the difficulties of GIS can
be the initial steep learning curve,
0128 10:06:51:21 10:06:55:15
and this can often put teachers off
the use of them in the first place.
0129 10:06:55:15 10:06:59:06
The other problem can be choosing
the appropriate software package.
0130 10:06:59:06 10:07:02:02
This can involve a great deal
of research both on the net
0131 10:07:02:02 10:07:04:12
and speaking to suppliers.
0132 10:07:04:12 10:07:07:04
Gerard selected the software
used by his department
0133 10:07:07:04 10:07:09:06
from a range of packages
he investigated
0134 10:07:09:06 10:07:12:21
at an open day at
the Royal Geographical Society.
0135 10:07:12:21 10:07:14:20
His supplier provided assistance
0136 10:07:14:20 10:07:19:09
in the installation of the system
onto the school computer network.
0137 10:07:19:09 10:07:22:14
A wealth of information on there
about your local environment.
0138 10:07:22:14 10:07:26:21
They agreed to give us that
information to provide it to you...
0139 10:07:26:21 10:07:28:14
Because it's a new technology
0140 10:07:28:14 10:07:31:13
we have to make sure the teachers
are comfortable using it,
0141 10:07:31:13 10:07:33:06
that the systems work properly,
0142 10:07:33:06 10:07:34:24
and we have to make sure that
0143 10:07:34:24 10:07:39:02
the best data is available
for the teachers to use.
0144 10:07:39:02 10:07:42:02
Drop and drag all the time.
0145 10:07:42:02 10:07:46:22
(narrator) So what does Jason have
to say to those starting with GIS?
0146 10:07:46:22 10:07:49:13
If you're a new teacher
and you're debating
0147 10:07:49:13 10:07:52:12
what's the best,
what can I use in my classroom,
0148 10:07:52:12 10:07:54:04
I would say find another teacher
0149 10:07:54:04 10:07:56:23
who's used the platform
you're thinking about.
0150 10:07:56:23 10:07:59:13
You can go through
organisations like Schoolzone,
0151 10:07:59:13 10:08:02:23
which have independent
three-month trials
0152 10:08:02:23 10:08:05:02
of different software
in their schools,
0153 10:08:05:02 10:08:08:14
and you'll get unfettered
information and advice
0154 10:08:08:14 10:08:12:04
about what was good, what was bad
from those teachers' experiences.
0155 10:08:12:04 10:08:13:16
Contact the companies.
0156 10:08:13:16 10:08:16:21
If the companies are any good,
they will give you names of people
0157 10:08:16:21 10:08:19:13
who are using their software
and their data
0158 10:08:19:13 10:08:21:19
for you to ask,
"Is this a good thing?"
0159 10:08:21:19 10:08:25:14
If you have a GIS and some data,
you can use it in a number of ways.
0160 10:08:25:14 10:08:28:10
You don't have to have all
your class using it straightaway.
0161 10:08:28:10 10:08:30:19
You can just bed yourself in
very slowly,
0162 10:08:30:19 10:08:33:23
just take a satellite image
or one aerial photograph at a time.
0163 10:08:33:23 10:08:37:00
You can even copy it into PowerPoint
and use it in PowerPoint
0164 10:08:37:00 10:08:40:10
if you're comfortable with that,
and use it in your own home
0165 10:08:40:10 10:08:43:14
and get comfortable with
what you can achieve with it.
0166 10:08:43:14 10:08:46:15
As you become more comfortable
with what you can do with it,
0167 10:08:46:15 10:08:49:18
perhaps you then introduce
the software to the classroom,
0168 10:08:49:18 10:08:53:11
perhaps when you're using it on
a laptop projecting to the class,
0169 10:08:53:11 10:08:57:20
so you're not letting the children
loose on it till you're comfortable.
0170 10:08:57:20 10:09:00:05
All you need to start using GIS
in the classroom
0171 10:09:00:05 10:09:03:02
is a laptop and a projector,
it's as simple as that.
0172 10:09:03:02 10:09:07:11
We know it's difficult for geography
pupils to get time in the IT labs,
0173 10:09:07:11 10:09:10:18
but you can teach them in their
geography room with no computers.
0174 10:09:10:18 10:09:13:02
It doesn't need
an interactive whiteboard,
0175 10:09:13:02 10:09:15:09
just a screen, you can project on it
0176 10:09:15:09 10:09:19:17
and start to get over some of
the ideas you want to do using GIS.
0177 10:09:19:17 10:09:23:11
Just projecting up images
of their area, your school -
0178 10:09:23:11 10:09:25:06
the children will find this fun.
0179 10:09:25:06 10:09:28:04
If you have an interactive
whiteboard, it's fantastic,
0180 10:09:28:04 10:09:31:22
because the children can interact
with the GIS on the screen as well.
0181 10:09:31:22 10:09:36:15
So it depends on the technology you
have, but that shouldn't limit you.
0182 10:09:36:15 10:09:39:11
You can start from
a real small base level.
0183 10:09:39:11 10:09:40:17
Right into where...
0184 10:09:40:17 10:09:44:02
(narrator) What further advice
can Gerard offer?
0185 10:09:44:02 10:09:46:11
The one thing
you need to be able to do
0186 10:09:46:11 10:09:49:23
is to be able to use
basic IT skills -
0187 10:09:49:23 10:09:53:08
dropping, dragging,
pointing, opening, closing.
0188 10:09:53:08 10:09:55:19
That's all you need
to be able to use.
0189 10:09:55:19 10:10:00:01
The vast majority of students have
got IT skills way ahead of that.
0190 10:10:00:01 10:10:03:03
The digital divide tends to be
between adults and students
0191 10:10:03:03 10:10:05:20
rather than between
one type of student and another,
0192 10:10:05:20 10:10:09:03
irrespective of their ability,
or of their academic ability.
0193 10:10:09:03 10:10:13:24
There are no students excluded from
this in terms of their capability,
0194 10:10:13:24 10:10:16:08
in terms of their IT skills
or their age.
0195 10:10:16:08 10:10:18:19
It's there, it's open for all.
0196 10:10:18:19 10:10:21:16
If you're a teacher
struggling with IT skills,
0197 10:10:21:16 10:10:23:16
do what you normally do -
0198 10:10:23:16 10:10:27:03
open it, be honest, let the students
direct and drive it.
0199 10:10:27:03 10:10:29:03
Use them as your lead learners.
0200 10:10:29:03 10:10:31:08
You don't have to be
the genius at the front,
0201 10:10:31:08 10:10:34:16
or the sage on the stage.
You can be the guide at the side.
0202 10:10:34:16 10:10:38:08
You can get them working, point them
in the right direction, let them go.
0203 10:10:38:08 10:10:42:20
(narrator) So how do the teachers
feel after some training with GIS?
0204 10:10:42:20 10:10:46:20
The training for GIS was
informative, helpful, easy to use.
0205 10:10:46:20 10:10:48:17
Software choice is very important.
0206 10:10:48:17 10:10:52:10
There's a lot of things about
and they're all of different value.
0207 10:10:52:10 10:10:55:21
The training process was good.
I thought it was quite quick,
0208 10:10:55:21 10:10:58:16
in terms of we just had
the hour session after school.
0209 10:11:01:16 10:11:05:04
Once staff had
that initial skill level
0210 10:11:05:04 10:11:07:24
and that initial skill basis
was instructed,
0211 10:11:07:24 10:11:10:14
we were able to take
the project forward ourselves
0212 10:11:10:14 10:11:13:23
with the help that's
available within the software.
0213 10:11:13:23 10:11:16:18
We've got to work very closely
with the IT department.
0214 10:11:16:18 10:11:18:18
They can get the software to work.
0215 10:11:18:18 10:11:22:08
We can get the software to do
what we want it to do.
0216 10:11:22:08 10:11:24:23
Therefore, with the IT department,
0217 10:11:24:23 10:11:28:00
I had to make sure that they stored
the data in the right place,
0218 10:11:28:00 10:11:30:14
that they had the program set up
in the right place,
0219 10:11:30:14 10:11:32:16
and that we piloted it
with students.
0220 10:11:32:16 10:11:36:07
What happens when 30 students
open the program simultaneously?
0221 10:11:36:07 10:11:39:01
What happens if they open it
on their wireless laptop
0222 10:11:39:01 10:11:41:01
when we're using
wireless technology?
0223 10:11:41:01 10:11:43:14
What happens when we pan it
onto our whiteboards,
0224 10:11:43:14 10:11:45:14
or use it on
an interactive whiteboard?
0225 10:11:45:14 10:11:48:07
So just test all those things,
see how they work,
0226 10:11:48:07 10:11:52:01
get the IT guy sitting next to you
and say, "Sort that out, please."
0227 10:11:55:02 10:11:58:23
We have some very young teachers
fresh out of university using it,
0228 10:11:58:23 10:12:02:15
using it quite excitingly, coming up
with some good and novel ideas.
0229 10:12:02:15 10:12:05:17
We have older colleagues who
have more teaching experience
0230 10:12:05:17 10:12:09:16
who come up with different types
of ideas and ways they can use it.
0231 10:12:09:16 10:12:14:11
The exciting thing is seeing how
people with different IT skills,
0232 10:12:14:11 10:12:17:19
higher IT skills,
who are newer to the profession,
0233 10:12:17:19 10:12:19:19
are bringing their IT experience
0234 10:12:19:19 10:12:23:05
to more experienced colleagues
who have the better teaching ideas.
0235 10:12:23:05 10:12:27:14
You can mesh the two things together
- good ideas, good IT skills.
0236 10:12:27:14 10:12:31:01
Using GIS in my teaching
has been fun, the pupils love it,
0237 10:12:31:01 10:12:34:12
and it's extended the curriculum.
0238 10:12:34:12 10:12:37:15
GIS in this school has enhanced
the geography lessons
0239 10:12:37:15 10:12:40:14
by helping them to explain
patterns and processes,
0240 10:12:40:14 10:12:43:04
and helping pupils to ask
geographical questions
0241 10:12:43:04 10:12:44:23
and use geographical vocabulary.
0242 10:12:44:23 10:12:47:04
I feel the use of GIS
in the classroom
0243 10:12:47:04 10:12:49:24
is very good for
the students that we have here.
0244 10:12:49:24 10:12:54:05
Visual learners enjoy it because
it gives them something to look at
0245 10:12:54:05 10:12:55:19
and they can interact with it,
0246 10:12:55:19 10:12:58:14
and it's something they can use
on the computer screen.
0247 10:13:04:16 10:13:08:01
(Gerard) We want to make sure our
students are skilled in using GIS
0248 10:13:08:01 10:13:11:09
so that as they move into the world
of work they'll be able to use GIS
0249 10:13:11:09 10:13:14:01
in whatever applications
their employer sees fit.
0250 10:13:14:01 10:13:17:15
It's a 21st-century technology tool.
Let's make sure our students
0251 10:13:17:15 10:13:21:09
are available, trained
and ready to use it.
0252 10:13:21:09 10:13:25:13
My experience of GIS in schools
has been surprisingly positive.
0253 10:13:25:13 10:13:28:14
I was a bit cynical to start with.
It's worked really well.
0254 10:13:28:14 10:13:31:03
It's exciting in terms
of what the staff have done.
0255 10:13:31:03 10:13:33:17
It's been exciting in terms
of what I've done.
0256 10:13:33:17 10:13:37:15
What the students have done has been
amazing. I've let them fly with it.
0257 10:13:37:15 10:13:42:00
In many ways I'm trying to hold on
to what they're doing with it.
0258 10:13:42:00 10:13:45:18
It's improved their geographical
skills, their teach and learning,
0259 10:13:45:18 10:13:49:11
it's made geography fun,
it's made my job a lot easier.
0260 10:13:54:13 10:13:58:13
Visiontext subtitles: Adrian Isaac