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Use of mobile technologies as support tools for geography field trips
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In recent years, cellular phones and tablets have become increasingly more prevalent and popular. Due to their great mobility, light weight and ability to serve as a platform for various applications, these devices are ideal candidates for supporting out-of-classroom learning. Geography teachers in the twenty-first century must become familiar with these tools and must learn how to integrate them into their teaching, both in the classroom and in the field. Intelligent use of these tools can make classroom learning interesting and interactive and can transform the field trip into a stimulating and probing learning experience.
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... Cochrane et al. [23] presented a summary of the pedagogical affordances of smartphones in tertiary education, and they provided an example mobile-learning implementation plan. Medzini et al. [24] designed a course to train geography teachers to use the pedagogical capabilities Under the support of modern technologies, the process and method of fieldwork in geography education have significantly been changed [20]. Many scholars have studied geography fieldwork education, supported by mobile phones. ...
... Cochrane et al. [23] presented a summary of the pedagogical affordances of smartphones in tertiary education, and they provided an example mobile-learning implementation plan. Medzini et al. [24] designed a course to train geography teachers to use the pedagogical capabilities of mobile technologies to promote learning. Lee [25] developed an inquiry-based fieldwork project for students using mobile technologies. ...
Fieldwork is an important aspect of geography learning in higher educational institutions. Under the support of mobile technologies, the process and method of fieldwork in geography education have significantly been changed. However, the in-depth combination of Location-Based Services (LBSs) and geography fieldwork is still in the initial exploration stage. This paper designed and implemented a professional geography fieldwork platform based on Lushan, a famous geography fieldwork education station in Jiangxi, China. The platform includes the student-side mobile application, teacher-side mobile application, and a web back-end management system. Three specific technologically-enhanced applied modes were put forward based on the platform, which contains teacher-centered, semi-supervised, and student-independent modes. Students’ views on the three applied modes and usage in the fieldwork platform were collected through a questionnaire. The result shows that the LBS fieldwork platform has significant support for geography fieldwork. It meets the needs of students and reduces the burden for teachers. The teacher-centered is the most popular mode for students. Due to the unguaranteed fieldwork safety, inconvenient dynamic adjustment, and the habit of relying on the teacher’s explanation, the student-independent mode based on the LBS platform has apparent limitations. Nevertheless, students can recognize its potential in improving their practical, cooperative, and autonomous abilities. They are willing to try independent fieldwork supported by the platform in several days.
... Among other reasons, this may be due to the sense of modernity and innovation that such an excursion offers. Apart from the fun factor, mobile technologies also offer other benefits, such as GPS functionality for simplified orientation and navigation (Medzini et al., 2015) and a broad palette of options to present learning contents (Costabile et al., 2008;Jarvis and Dickie, 2010;Schneider and Schaal, 2018), such as pictures, videos, or audio recordings. Above all, the solutions to questions and exercises can be given directly so that the students immediately know whether they solved an exercise correctly or need to revise their solution. ...
... Therefore, the descriptions and instructions given to the students need to be clear and well thought through. As mentioned earlier, smartphones provide valuable tools that can overcome (some of) these challenges, and thanks to the availability of these devices among students, these tools can be brought into the curriculum without a major logistical challenge (Medzini et al., 2015). ...
Like many other university teachers, we were faced with an unprecedented situation in spring 2020, when we had to cancel on-site teaching and excursions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we were in the fortunate position that we had already started to develop a smartphone-based self-guided excursion on the topic of “Water in the City”. We accelerated this development and used it to replace the traditional group excursion in our Bachelor level introductory course in Hydrology and Climatology. The excursion of this course is visited by around 150 students each year. Because the student feedback was overall very positive, we used the self-guided excursion again in 2021 and plan to continue to use it in the coming years. In this paper, we describe the excursion, discuss the experiences of the students and ourselves, and present recommendations and ideas that could be useful for similar excursions at other universities.
... A wide range of applications of ICTs is found, from fieldwork, to storytelling and to gaming, only to mention the most interesting experiences for our analysis (Puttilli, 2014;Chatel & Falk, 2017). Following the massive diffusion of smartphones among the population in the last decade, ICTs became part of the Geography teacher's toolbox in order to maximize the learning impact of field trips (Medzini et al., 2015;Chatel & Falk, 2017) or to be used in virtual field work. ...
The article suggests an alternative teaching material to adapt to the current Covid-19 pandemic that impedes outdoor activities such as fieldwork or external visits in the university. The authors explore web documentary (hereinafter webdoc) as an option for asynchronous online teaching methods, an alternative to enable learning experiences. The result presents the students’ response to a survey with close- and open-ended questions based on their experience of two different webdocs (Montelab and Trozos Urbanos). The results demonstrate great potential for webdocs in online teaching due to game element, emotional engagement and entertainment. Students felt empowered by the interactiveness of the webdoc which led to an overall positive evaluation. Moreover, the experience was well received when it was in line with course materials with potential to communicate geographical knowledge around interdisciplinary urban challenges. Therefore, teachers should dedicate efforts for identifying appropriate webdocs to provide students with beneficial geographical learning experience that fits the course aim. On the other hand, minor negative feedback was observed based on personal interest and the general cyber fatigue from the pandemic. We suggest teachers to explore webdocs based on their needs and conclude by providing a list of recommendations and useful references.
... Also, utilizing smartphone apps for vocabulary learning encourages self-directed learning and plays a significant role in improving and enhancing vocabulary knowledge (Wang & Shih, 2015). Teachers can employ smartphones "to create a new and exciting learning experience in the classroom" (Medzini, Meishar-Tal, & Sneh, 2015). ...
This study surveyed teachers’ perceptions of the efficiency of utilizing smartphones as a tool for helping EFL students ameliorate their English vocabulary learning. A 27-item questionnaire was administered to 120 teachers working at various state and private secondary schools in Saudi Arabia. Findings revealed that the great majority of teachers (84%) considered smartphones an effective tool for teaching vocabulary. The current study also showed that teaching experience had statistically significant effects on teachers’ perceptions in favour of teachers with a moderate number of years of experience (more than 5 and less than 10 years). However, there were no statistically significant differences on teachers’ perceptions yielded by the gender variable. Furthermore, the current study showed that ease of use, the ability to engage students anywhere and anytime, learning through game applications, and offering a great deal of exposure to foreign language received the highest rate of agreement. Additionally, teachers believed that several drawbacks might impact the integration of smartphones into the classroom, including low quality of existing apps, lack of training on smartphones for academic purposes and the disruption and distraction they cause.
... Story mapping involves a form which is more than visual through a combination of mobile device platforms, multimedia content and maps as the basis for stories. Mobile devices are frequently used to support geographical field trips (Medzini et al., 2015). ...
The article presents the authors’ experiences in designing a storytelling map guide for the botanical gardens of Palacký University, Czech Republic, from a pedagogical point of view. The authors introduce a three-pillared original concept. The overall educational contribution is a combination of educational, thematic and technological knowledge which supports successful engagement in the storytelling process. In the Storytelling Map Guide for the Botanical Gardens and Greenhouse Collections, the first pillar represents the educational aspect. Botanical knowledge and familiarity with the study area, i.e. the Palacký University Botanical Gardens, represent the thematic pillar. The technological pillar is covered by knowledge of software, cartography and application design skills, including an overview of contemporary storytelling applications. Finally, the educational impact and benefits to students of geoinformatics are discussed.
... Over the last decade, GIS has evolved rapidly due to advances in global positioning systems (GPS); Internet, wireless, and mobile technologies; the Internet of Things (IoT); and handheld devices (e.g., smartphones and low-cost sensors) (Gao & Mai, 2016). However, despite the increasing use of these emerging technologies in health-related research (e.g., Birenboim et al. 2019;Gaskins, A. J. and J. E. Hart, 2019;Ma et al., 2020) and GIS/ geography education in general (e.g., Medzini et al., 2015;Pánek, J. and M. Glass, 2018;Schlossberg & Wyss, 2007), little research has examined their potential as educational tools for health/medical geography and the effectiveness for student learning. ...
Geographic technologies and perspectives are important for understanding health issues because places and locations influence human health and diseases. Despite the increasing use of a geographic information system (GIS) in health research, and the explosion of new and emerging technologies, little is known about their potential as educational tools for health geography and the effectiveness for student learning. Focusing on air-sensing and web GIS technologies, this article presents an innovative pedagogical strategy to integrate these technologies as tools for field-based learning in health geography and discusses the effectiveness and challenges of this teaching method. A class project, undertaken in a university health geography course, was developed to offer students hands-on training and real-world experience with state-of-the-art technologies. It consisted of (1) a lecture and pre-fieldwork training; (2) field data collection using a low-cost, GPS-enabled portable air-pollution sensor; (3) data visualization using web GIS; and (4) sharing the findings through a web-based story map application. The successful implementation of the teaching method, as indicated by students’ positive comments, demonstrated that such class projects can reinforce students’ knowledge of air pollution and health risks; improve their technical, critical thinking, and research skills; and prepare students for entering a technology-driven society.
... Missions permit online students to take a break from trudging through hours of recorded lectures, online forums, and URL links. Equipped with mobile devices, students engage with familiar places in unfamiliar ways through m-learning, or "e-learning on the move" (Jarvis and Dickie 2010;Medzini, Meishar-Tal, and Sneh 2015). Open-ended missions provide space for learners to be creative and unconventional with how they engage with the field. ...
Introduction: In the information society, the stimulus threshold for learners has changed, which requires a novel education strategy. Today, it is no longer what attracts students’ attention that it was 20 years ago. In addition to the rapid development of ICT, public education cannot go either. We believe that advanced teacher digital competence can be one of the keys of finding common ground with students and doing effective teaching work.
Methods: In our research we examine the level of digital competence of public education teachers before the pandemic and during the 2nd wave in Hungary (2020 autumn). We examine the development of digital competence, student performance, and the effectiveness of education outside the classroom in the spring period based on teacher experience. Data from the completed forms were evaluated by using basic statistical indicators.
Results: According to the data received, the pandemic revealed serious shortcomings in the level of development of the digital competence of both teachers and students. However, it also opened the way for catching up on both sides. Teachers were already better prepared during the second wave, so they were able to solve education more efficiently. Regional development differences and a lack of digital tools have widened the gap between students.
Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed these shortcomings in education. For here the process of teaching had to be placed in digital space from one moment to the next.
Limitations: The research shows data valid only for Hungary.
Conclusions: Expected result is the demonstrable development of competences.
Ο προσανατολισμός και η μετακίνηση στο χώρο συνιστούν όρους επιβίωσης και εξέλιξης για τον άνθρωπο. Δεν θα μπορούσαμε να ζήσουμε χωρίς να μετακινηθούμε ή να χρησιμοποιήσουμε το περιβάλλον τόσο σε επίπεδο χωρικής πληροφορίας όσο και αποκωδικοποίησης των συμβολικών του αναπαραστάσεων. Η μελέτη της ικανότητας χρήσης χάρτη από την προσχολική ηλικία, αποτελεί σημαντικό ερευνητικό πεδίο, ενώ οι Ψηφιακές Τεχνολογίες (δορυφορικοί χάρτες και παγκόσμιο σύστημα γεοεντοπισμού-GPS) δίνουν νέες δυνατότητες και ταυτόχρονα αναδύουν σχετικά ερευνητικά ερωτήματα. Επίσης, μια από τις ταχέως αναπτυσσόμενες τεχνολογίες που βρίσκει εφαρμογή στη εν κινήσει μάθηση μέσω φορητών συσκευών είναι η επαυξημένη πραγματικότητα (AR). Στην παρούσα εργασία παρουσιάζεται ο σχεδιασμός ενός παιχνιδιού AR σε φορητή συσκευή για την ανάπτυξη της ικανότητας χρήσης χάρτη ως προς τον εντοπισμό σημείων στον χώρο. Τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης δείχνουν ότι κατάλληλα σχεδιασμένες εφαρμογές μπορούν να βοηθήσουν προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση, λόγω μηχανισμών ανατροφοδότησης, που δεν είναι εφικτοί με τις συμβατικές μεθόδους.
Obwohl grundsätzlich die Eignung des mobilen spielbasierten Lernens zum Transport von Bildungsinhalten feststeht, kommt es selten zum Einsatz, denn es ist mit diversen Herausforderungen verbunden. Außerdem gibt es nur eine geringe Zahl an empirischen Studien über die Wirkungen und kaum Design-Prinzipien für die Entwicklung und/oder Implementierung. Um diese Lücke zu schließen, wurde in einer Design-Based Research (DBR) Studie eine innovative Lehr-Lern-Umgebung, unter Einsatz eines so genannten Geogames, entworfen, erprobt, evaluiert und iterativ weiterentwickelt. Der inhaltliche Schwerpunkt ist es, durch aktive Prozesse der Raumerkundung eine differenziertere Raumwahrnehmung bei Schülerinnen und Schülern zu fördern (z. B. durch die Erkenntnis, dass Räume selektiv und subjektiv wahrgenommen werden). Während der spielbasierten Raumerkundung sammeln die Teilnehmer Informationen vor Ort, welche später im Klassenzimmer weiterverarbeitet und reflektiert werden. Neben kontextsensitiven, unterrichtlichen Gestaltungskriterien für Lehrkräfte, wurden auch gegenstandsspezifische Beiträge zur fachdidaktischen Theoriebildung generiert (u. a. über die Wirkungen unterschiedlicher ortsbezogener Aufgabenformate oder über motivationsbeeinflussende Faktoren). Die Arbeit beinhaltet außerdem Erkenntnisse zu den Gelingensbedingungen der angewandten Forschungsmethodologie DBR im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes aber auch darüber hinaus, welche auf andere Forschungsvorhaben übertragen werden können.
Informal evidence supports an argument that using mobile devices for informal learning can be motivating. This paper will consider evidence from the literature in one particular area of mobile learning – informal science learning and also present a brief study of how people use mobile devices in their informal learning. Finally it will briefly review the motivation literature to consider this issue further.
This paper reports on a small‐scale study of students’ perceptions of selected aspects concerning the organisation of, and learning from, fieldwork. Two main findings emerge. (a) In the choke of working partners, students either seek partners whom they regard as capable of making positive contributions to the fulfilment of the learning tasks, or they opt for friendship groups. In the case of the former, the qualities looked for are predominantly subject knowledge and subject‐related skills: competence in the management of group learning does not appear as a major consideration. (b) Although the outcomes from group work were invariably judged to be positive, a large minority of students appeared to regard themselves as contributors to, rather than beneficiaries from, such work. These students judged the extent of their learning from group work as low or very low.
The concept of the virtual workplace is used in three initiatives to create an out-of-classroom environment where learners worked on virtual space while engaging in learning activities. The first involves a multi-group field-class working at geographically separated locations, under on-demand supervision from the lecturer on virtual workplace, using Internet, video and text messaging, on-demand file uploads and file transfers. The second involves use of virtual lab, to prepare for complicated laboratory procedures and reduce classroom time by allowing virtual hands-on lab exposure. The third initiative is supported by online learning resources, providing a learning environment on demand, on virtual workplace and hence with the associated freedom of choice. Learner responses to each of these initiatives are discussed.
This paper presents findings from an evaluation study of a project aimed at using smartphones for experiential learning in the botanical garden of Oranim College in Israel. The evaluation of the project focused on four main aspects: the students' and the lecturer's general satisfaction with the project, the students' perception of the contribution of the project to their learning, the students' perception of the contribution of the smartphone to the learning process, and the quality of their learning outcomes, e.g., the activities that they designed. This initial attempt to integrate experiential learning and smartphones elicited many important conclusions about how the smartphone may be integrated into experiential learning.
Successive UK governments have promoted the use of computer technology in schools over a period of time. These efforts have resulted in the establishment of the Building Schools for the Future program introduced by the government of Gordon Brown. These efforts have resulted in the construction of a set of buildings with facilities similar to a university campus. Towers of corporate white columns dominate the wide aisles as floor-to-ceiling windows flood the school with natural and welcoming sunlight when the students file in for registration. Each classroom is also installed with interactive whiteboards that allow teachers to introduce images, video, audio, and data visualizations to students who demonstrate interest in such interactive teaching and learning methods. Ian Fogarty, a teacher at Riverview High School in New Brunswick, Canada, is regarded the teaching profession as an early adopter and promoter of such interactive technology in the classroom.