Mateja Grmek
school centre Srečko Kosovel Sežana
Using smart phones for teaching Geography
Introduction
On one hand teaching geography has never been as difficult as today. The world we live in is changing rapidly, many of the rules that applied 20 years ago are no longer true. Textbooks get outdated quickly, despite being new.
On the other, the access to different information has never been easier. In this modern world we are (literally) bombarded daily with all sorts of information. It is believed that learning by heart is no longer necessary, since there are tools that enable us to find information and data very quickly.
What is the main goal of teaching Geography?
Do students have to be able to read maps? How accurately? What geographical names do they have to know/memorize? Is it necessary for the students to be able to find countries on the map of the world/Europe, and their capital cities? Do they have to know the area and the population figures of the countries of the world/Europe?
This has not been the main purpose of Geography lessons for a long time. Their basic goal is to guide students in learning about and managing living conditions related to human natural and social living space. In the secondary school curriculum Geography is a subject that helps the young acquire the knowledge, abilities and skills with which they can understand the local and global environment. In addition, it educates them to be able to properly value, respect and manage it. Geography knowledge is an integral part of basic education, as it contains the knowledge of homeland and the world, as well as protecting and managing the environment (Curriculum, 2008).
In knowledge-based economies it is vital to remember facts and procedures, yet this is not enough for progress and success. In our rapidly changing society the skills, such as solving problems, critical thinking, team-work abilities, creativity, IT competences (computer thinking) are more urgent than ever before. Only by using them can we achieve that what we have learnt will eventually work in real time and thus contribute to creating new ideas, new theories, new products and new knowledge (Council recommendation, 2018).
Knowing geographical names is only a means to learn geography, and to get acquainted with different geographical problems. The focus/emphasis is no longer on learning data, it is important to master analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Therefore it is necessary to include all the key competences for lifelong learning. According to Council recommendations of 22nd May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning (2018) the eight key competences are:
- Literacy
- Multilingualism
- Numerical, scientific and engineering skills
- Digital and technology-based competences
- Interpersonal skills, and the ability to adopt new competences
- Active citizenship
- Entrepreneurship
- Cultural awareness and expression (Council recommendation, 2018)
Teaching Geography and digital competence
Digital literacy is the ability to use information technologies safely and critically in a variety of fields: at work, in one’s free time and to communicate with others. A key component of this ability is digital competence (Javrh, 2018)
Digital competence includes confident, critical and responsible use of digital technologies and interaction with them in learning, work or social interaction. It includes information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, media literacy, digital content creation (including programming), security (including digital well-being and competences related to cyber security), intellectual property issues, problem solving and critical thinking (Council Recommendation, 2018).
Digital literacy includes the critical and safe use of digital technology at work, for personal needs in one's free time and communication. Basic computer knowledge, such as the use of a computer to search, evaluate, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in shared networks on the Internet, is merely the basis for learning about other, rapidly evolving digital tools (Javrh , 2018).
The following digital competences are listed in the Slovene national curriculum for grammar school. The students:
- develop the ability to search, collect and process electronic information, data and concepts and use them as systematically as possible;
- enhance the ability to use information and communication technology to support critical thinking, creativity and discovering new things in different areas, at home in their free time, as well as at school and in their future studies or professions;
- develop a positive attitude towards the use of ICT when working on their own or in a team;
- develop a critical attitude towards available information
- develop a positive attitude and a sense for safe and responsible use of the Internet, including privacy protection and respect of cultural differences;
- collect, edit, process and display data on spatial phenomena and processes with the Geographic Information System (GIS) and other tools (GPS, Google Earth) (Curriculum, 2008).
The advantages of using smart phones in Geography lessons
In my opinion, the digital literacy among our students is relatively high. They do well in the digital world, some (maybe) better than teachers.
The amount of the available information online is overwhelming, yet there are a number of dilemmas: where to search for data, how to check credibility and what to do with the piece of information.
The ability to access the information fast is of great advantage, especially for Geography lessons. It offers a possibility to greatly enrich and facilitate lessons both for students and teachers. During Geography lessons students frequently ask questions to which the teacher may not have an accurate answer. The situation can be solved in two ways: the teacher looks for the data, answers after the lesson or asks the student(s) to do it at home.
I often find myself in such a situation. I sometimes promise to them to look for the answers(s) till next time. Other times I tell the student(s) to do it until the following Geography lesson. The problem is that they, or even I, often forget.
If smart phones are used to find data, the process is accelerated. The answers can be found instantly, when the topic is being dealt with.
I simply tell a student or two to find a piece of information online immediately. I suggest the webpage or the English expression to facilitate the search. Meanwhile I can continue the lesson, in addition I get the answer in a matter of minutes.
Teachers, students and parents should not perceive the smartphone only as a toy. I believe students should use their phones, not only for entertainment, but as useful educational devices. Teachers have to prepare their students for life that will almost certainly be ‘digital’, whether we like it or not.
Almost all the students have smartphones nowadays. There is no general ban of their use in Slovene schools. Each school decides to regulate their use with internal school rules. Management, teachers, parents and students should be involved in the preparation of the rules regarding the use of smartphones at school. Teachers decide how to use them in the learning process.
At our school students are allowed to have their phones with them (at all times), but they are not allowed to use them during lessons. They can only use them when the teacher allows it for the learning process.
There should be no discrimination against those students who do not have a phone. The teacher can organize the work differently, putting students together in pairs. During Geography lessons students frequently work in pairs.
Unfortunately I rarely get the opportunity to work in an IT classroom. When I do, I am there with an entire class (25 to 30 students) which means that two students have to work at one computer.
Examples of using a smartphone in geography lessons
Example 1: LOOKING FOR SIMPLE DATA
While discussing different geographical topics figures cannot be avoided, be it the area of a state, population, population density, birth rate, GDP, HDI, percentage of people living below poverty line etc. Nowadays accessing these data is easy, therefore there is no need to learn them by heart.
How it works in the classroom during lessons?
For example, we are interested in the number of inhabitants of a state. First I would ask students if anyone knows. If there is no answer, I encourage students to estimate. I put the figure(s) on board, meanwhile a student finds the figure online.
Example 2: LOOKING FOR WEATHER AND CLIMATE DATA
We are studying the climate of northern Europe. In the textbook we check the map with average January and July temperatures, and the map with the average yearly rainfall.
As this topic is dealt with in December, the students always want to know what the current temperatures in that region are. Each pair is assigned a country. In the atlas one student has to find two places that are relatively distant from each other, the other student finds the current temperature for both places. Sometimes the snowfall is checked as well, or the absolute highest and lowest measured temperatures or similar.
The students use the webpages they would normally use to check the weather forecast. I usually direct them to a suitable webpage to find more specific information
Example 3: LOOKING FOR ETHNICITY DATA OF A PARTICULAR COUNTRY OR REGION
When dealing with south-eastern Europe the reasons and consequences of conflicts are researched. The students are divided in groups, each group has to find data about the ethnicity of a particular country. They have to find the latest data and the data for 1991. They have to find out when the last census was conducted and whether there were any problems, paying attention to the interpretation of the census data. They upload the data into a shared Google Drive document and then present it to their classmates.
Example 4: ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE
The smartphone proved very useful for consolidation and assessment. Before written testing I usually open a Google Drive document. Each student types a couple of questions related to the topic to be tested. I check and correct the questions. Then we answer the questions in class. Thus the students have a set of possible questions for the test. I use many of the questions in the real test.
Example 5: CHECKING (MONITORING) CURRENT WORLD EVENTS
When dealing with a particular region of the world students are supposed to check the daily papers and follow what is going on there. At the start of a lesson I ask them to check online papers for the news from the region in question.
In 2018 there was a lot of news on the demand of Greece that Macedonia (its official name then was – Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – FYROM) should change its name. Europe is in the curriculum for the 3rd year of grammar school. In January 2018 we were dealing with south-east Europe and mentioned the problem with the official name of Macedonia. After that I asked the students every week if there was something new regarding the name.
Example 6: ORIENTATION
The smartphone can be very useful in spatial orientation. In the past we used a compass and a map, but today smartphones allow us to plan the route to the chosen destination much more easily. They are an excellent device for orientation and for obtaining information about the landscape through which we are travelling.
Conclusion
In my opinion neither smartphones nor tablets can substitute classical teaching methods, yet they are very useful. Personal contact between students and teachers is still very important. We are especially aware of this during the period of distance learning.
Using a smartphone can enrich and update lessons. Students can work more individually, yet the teacher has to provide guidance, direction, and supervision.
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