http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-4418
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ABSTRACT
University faculty partners from the Departments of Geography and Instruction and Teacher Education at a large, public university collaborated with K-12 teachers and the leadership of a rural school district in order to investigate the crosscutting content of science, mathematics, and geography through the integration of web-based GIS technologies. The project explored the critical connections among technology, pedagogy, and content with a particular emphasis on developing technology-enhanced, inquiry-based lessons in which the teachers and their students used GIS technologies to analyze, visualize, and present data in real-world contexts. The findings highlight the importance of well-structured professional development that builds community, integrates diverse content and pedagogical expertise, provides feedback and coaching, and is of sufficient duration to effect change.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers and the journal editors for their helpful comments on this paper. We also extend our appreciation to the administration, teachers, and students of Saluda County Schools and Lexington County School District Three (South Carolina) for their support and participation in this project.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. This project also supported the district’s technology plan which specifically calls for students to “engage in authentic learning activities that are aligned with state standards and that integrate technology into the content”, for teachers to “demonstrate technology integration skills in the classroom”, and for the district to “provide teachers with access to web 2.0 tools and resources necessary to integrate web 2.0 tools into the curriculum”. Professional development in geospatial technology use meets each of these and several other aspects of the technology plan, and can be integrated across multiple disciplinary areas.
2. Demirci (Citation2011) reported study results to show that GIS exercises could be effectively taught on a single computer where there is a lack of computing resources available.
3. While guided by the project team, each teacher involved created their own lesson idea and the map products necessary.