THE PLACE OF THE INTERNET IN
GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION
Key points of the Paper presented by Kalema Golooba .A .W to Third year
BA/Ed Geography students of Makerere University; January, 2000. For a complete
paper contact the author at email : agkalema@hotmail.com
The utilisation of the internet in Ugandan secondary schools
began with the School-to School Initiative(STSI) in 1996 in three schools.
It later expanded to 10 1998 and to 20 by 1999 managed by WorLD program.
The Program now covers all the continents and is in more than 30 countries.
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INTRODUTION
? Convergence of computing and communication and spread of the internet
as an international network of information available to the general public
revolutionalised thinking about how information can be processed, disseminated,
accessed and used in every sphere of human life.
? Changes in society and the emergence of the information society/
global village.
? Concepts: ICT , Sever, Connectivity, Project Based Learning,
A network of interconnected yet independent computers. Has many components
including: Telnet ( a way of connecting to a computer at a remote location
and using that computer as if you were at that remote site); FTP(File Transfer
Protocol: a process used to transfer files across the internet);Gopher(an
internet tool that allows one to visit hundreds of sites on the internet
using a straight forward menu structure) E-mail(Electronic mail: Allows
one to send and receive messages over the internet. It is one of the most
powerful and commonly used internet application) WWW(World Wide Web: which
along with special software called browsers provides point and click
access to graphics, text, sound ,video files often integrated around a
specific topic)Others include; MOO (MultUser Object-Oriented which allow
real time online conversation with people),IRC(Internet Relay Chat, CU-SeeMe
used for Video-conferencing.
You do not have to master all at the same time. The most important
we have used in Uganda are E-Mail and the World Wide Web.
Why Change?
Social rationale: Internet and computers are important in society.
Students should become familiar with the m in order to function in the
information society.
Vocational Reason: To enable students get employment,
Prepare them for the changed job market
Pedagogical reason: computers and the internet assist the teaching-learning
process and enhance instruction of traditional subjects in the curriculum
Catalytic rationale: Improve overall performance of schools(teaching,
administration, management) ,increasing the efficiency and effectiveness
of the education system in general.
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Objectives of World Links
for Development (WorLD) Program
To enable students to:
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Collaborate with others on complex, open-ended , real-world problems
and projects
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Reason with information : To find , organize, analyze, compare and
evaluate information and use ti to make predictions and draw conclusions:
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Communicate ideas in a variety of written, oral and graphic forms;
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Develop skills in the use of of a variety of computer software and
hardware tools;
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Plan ,monitor and regulate their own learning
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Cultivate attitudes and behaviors that will sustain learning
throughout their lives;
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Increase international understanding and knowledge about other cultures,
countries and languages.
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New Changes/ New models for
learning
Old Model New Model Implications for Learners
Teacher centered Learner centered Students are empowered as learners
Passive absorption Learner participation Student motivation is enhanced
Individual work Team learning Team building skills are developed; learning
is enhanced through sharing
Teacher as expert Teacher as guide Framework for learning is more adaptable
to a fast changing world
Static Dynamic Resources for learning (textbooks, existing knowledge
bases) are replaced by an online link to the real world. Resources can
be adapted to immediate learning needs
Prescribed learning Learning to learn Development of skills for the
information age
Subject centered Project based
Cram facts Develop skills
Emphasis on the 3R(Reading,wRiting&aRithmetic) Emphasis on 5R(Reading,wRiting,aRithmetic,Resources
and Relationships) Building Relationships across the globe with experts
irrespective of age, distance social status and utilising online Resources.
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Role of the Internet in Education
Enhancing instruction/ Classroom support: Teachers use technology for
the same reason they use books, worksheets and other teaching tools- to
help their students learn.
Simplifying tasks: ICT helps to simplify lesson preparation,
assessing student learning and in improving communication especially when
organizing seminars and conferences.
Professional Development: Teachers can join seminars, conferences
workshops to enhance their professional growth.T hey can contact
colleagues and experts in various fields. They access new ideas and
approaches.
Communication/ isolation crack down: Teaching is one of the most
isolated profession. The internet through e-mail enables teachers in Uganda
to getin touch with the outside world- experts, parents friends etc.
Projects: Teachers guide their students to conduct Online/Internet
projects that enable them to achieve various curriculum objectives. Examples
; The Wetlands project, Street Children, Global Art, Food for Everyone,
Poverty alleviation etc. They exchange ideas, carry out research, develop
questionnaires and write research reports.
Publishing: Students publish their work on the internet
for real audiences. This makes learning more real. They publish school
news essays, and webpages eg Namilyango and Mengo>> and Kings College,
Budo have Webpages.
Research: Online texts, Libraries, Databases, news, and research
papers are available to update knowledge and enhance research.
Personal interest: One can join Virtual clubs, pursue hobbies, health
Travel Sports etc
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The Role of the
Internet In enhancing instruction
The internet can help teachers achieve current curriculum adjectives and
subject areas and to increase achievement in other areas such as the development
of skills and change in learner attitudes. In certain cases, it is a major
toll in effecting behavior change. How?
Brings wider instructional resources into classroom: The internet
allows teachers and students to explore beyond their immediate reach eg
Accessing Photographs, Sharing weather data with scientists etc. They can
find lesson plans, articles, magazines, journals, encyclopedae ,etc. They
become more aware of the world outside the classroom and are able to reach
out to information resources instead of operating in a vacuum.
Motivate Learners: It is a key vehicle in stimulating learning primarily
because it create environments and presents information in ways that
are more engaging and involve students more directly than do textbooks
and more traditional tools.
New forms of instruction: By encouraging students to use the
internet and other technologies in tandem with traditional materials e.g
textbooks teachers can and have given both their lessons and student assignments
more content and depth.
Develop research, and other skills: Student develop valuable
skills as they use the internet and the project based style of learning.
Accommodate learning styles: The material on the internet and supporting
CD-ROMs enables students to structure their learning according to their
needs and style of learning
Redefine teachers role: The job description of the teacher will change
and is changing from that of a Sage on the stage to A Guide on the side,
From an expert to a learner, from a director to a facilitator .S/he has
to provide focus and direction to the learner and not to prescribe learning..
The traditional power structure is already changing as teachers are beginning
to realize that students know more than them.
Open and lifelong Learning: In a fast changing world the ability
to continue learning is crucial. Using the Internet enables students to
continue learning as they have continuos access to the resources.
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Geography Applications/Areas
The Internet can be used to enhance learning in almost all areas. Teachers
however have to be innovative and carefully plan how they are to use it
for maximum benefit. This is not to man that the internet can solve all
problems. The teacher remains paramount in this learning equation but he
has to be confortable with the technology. I highlight a few areas
I where I have used the internet in Geography education.
Photo interpretation: We download photographs from the internet
for use in photographic interpretation. These can be printed out
or can be projected directly from the computer. We engage in dialogue with
the people of that area and draw geographic conclusions
Diagrams and Notes on Server: Tedious diagrams are put on the Server
for students to view when they want.
Field work projects: Designed projects and engaged in others with
a geographic content and those which develop the same skills. These include
Wetlands project, The Food for everyone project, Sustainable Development
project etc. Currently designing one on fishing - both inland and
coastal..
Other projects with geographic content: Refugees, Poverty Alleviation,
Desertification ,Waste management Street children , Volcanoes ,etc
Internet Research
Resource and resource persons:
Publishing: We publish stories, geographical articles, essays
etc on our Webpage.
Continental Drift/ Plate Tectonics
Data Analysis
. Population
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Main Challenges still limiting the
use of the internet in Education
Professional (in)competence: Teachers still need training to operate
the technology in new pedagogical approaches that integrate the technology
in the classroom.
Teacher attitudes/ resistance: Some have actually resisted the technology
because
1. They are not familiar with the technology
2. It threatens their power and prestige, professional role and image
3. Additional time and effort is neede for effective use
Conflict with the curriculum:
1. .Often the software and materials available are not immediately
applicable to the curriculum.
2. We teach to pass students not to impart lifelong skills
Our system is too examination oriented.
Language and cultural barriers:
Technical expertise is lacking. The best leave for other jobs and
some to Developed countries
Administration issues:
Onsite full-time curriculum development computer coordinator
is needed.
National Curriculum Development Center is still developing a syllabus
Time and Training; Alot of time is needed to prepare effective
lessons and to master the technology
High Costs: High costs of Computer, Computer soft ware, Telephone
bills, maintenance , projectors etc
Poor Connectivity: Only a few schools are connected; they cannot
be on the internet for long hours; the rate at which information
flows is low(Small bandwidth), sometimes they cannot connect at all because
of poor telephone lines.
Power fluctuations/unreliable electricity supply
Student no. &facilities: Too many students compared to the available
computers; Classes too large to conduct effective lessons.
Unacceptable materials; Unsupervised students might access pornographic
material on the internet. But there a progrms that can stop this .
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Activities- to effectively integrate the
Internet in the classroom teachers have to:
Locate sites of curriculum ideas from the internet
Search through the contents at each site for useful items. Some sites
provide search mechanisms for their databases but each may have different
interface tools. Learn them
Adapt materials found to the needs of the particular classroom, local
standards, the current curriculum, your own teaching preferences and needs
or learning styles of the students
Organize new ideas into coherent curricular that build towards pedagogical
goals
Share experiences with others
Skills
Research,
data collection and analysis
Electronic communication of information
Interview and Questioning skills
Team working
Self expression
Knowledge of other cultures/ interdependence
Conclusion
Internet use in the Ugandan education system is still in its embryonic
stages. However, there is growing awareness of the potentials of this technology.
Already Ugandan pioneer teachers and educational administrators have formed
an NGO called Schoolnet Uganda to coordinate the integration of these technologies
in the education system.
It must be understood that this technology Iis about people-connecting
people in different parts of the world and enabling them to exploit global
resources
Start now, enroll for training at any of the secondary schools
in the network and at commercial centers.
