103700-CP-1-2004-1-UK-ERASMUS-TN

Karl Donert and Harry Rogge

HERODOT Connected! The use of ICT in higher educationGeography departments in Europe

Bologna Process and EHEA

• Bologna = make European Higher Education the best, most competitive in global marketplace

• course developments based on learning outcomes• student-centred learning approaches at core of change• central role of e-learning and new technologies in

learning and teaching (European Commission, 2002)

European Commission (2003), The Bologna Process: Next Stop Berlin 2003, http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/bologna_en.html

Context: HERODOT Survey 2002

Main learning methods used by Geography students – percentage of departments, 65 institutions, multiple responses

Donert K (2005), The use of ICT in Geography departments in European higher education, Changing Horizons in Geography Education, HERODOT Publication

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Few use computer-assisted learning

HERODOT Survey 2002Professional training (CPD) events in past 2 years (65 replies)

Donert K (2005), The use of ICT in Geography departments in European higher education, Changing Horizons in Geography Education, HERODOT Publication

number replies Type of CPD activity replies

0 38% GIS 13%

1 31% e-learning course 9%

2 14%specific computer course 4%

3 8%basic ICT course (Office) 5%

>3 6% web page development 4%

CPD trainers 3% Others, non-IT 64%

little professional development

one third of this related to computers 22%

HERODOT Survey 2002 some conclusions

Geographers teaching in higher education:• should expect to include ICT as part of the

educational learning approaches promoted • should consider how e-learning changes the way that

higher education Geography learning takes place• must consider the potential of new technologies in

geographical education• should undertake research if we are to maximise

online pedagogical opportunities in teaching exciting, authentic and relevant Geography in higher education

Donert K (2005), The use of ICT in Geography departments in European higher education, Changing Horizons in Geography Education, HERODOT Publication

HERODOT Survey 2005 Aims

• Describe use of ICT in Geography in European Geography departments in higher education

• Analyse the characteristics of ICT use in Geography teaching in higher education

• Assess the attitudes and approaches of academics to ICT in Geography

• Identify weaknesses and needs• Make recommendations for action

Survey 2005 hypotheses

• Geographers do not use ICT in teaching/learning• Geographers do not understand the value of ICT

– while Geographers were at the forefront of the Internet revolution, now the use of ICT in teaching may now be dominated by those teaching GIS.

– teacher educators use ICT as the use of ICT is obligatory in teacher training in all European countries (eEurope, 2002)

• Might expect to find some differences between – Geography, Teacher Educators and GIS teachers

• Managers a key group– they make decisions, their attitudes and approaches critical

Survey sample structure

Main teaching activity (n=69)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

GIS, cartography Geography education Geography

Survey of 112 network HE members April-July 2005

69 institutions responded

26 countriesUK-10, CZ-7NL-6, ES-5, AT-5

Survey sample structure

Position of respondents

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Lecturer SeniorLecturer

Reader AssistantProfessor

Professor Dept Chair Other

Teaching profile

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 10 20 30 40

years teaching

year

s u

sin

g I

CT

Survey sample structure

expert

experienced

established

seniorexperiencednew

Research Questions

• What are Geographers in Europe using ICT for?

• What are their perceptions of ICT?

• What is their understanding of the potential of ICT?

• What are the drivers of change?

ExperienceTeaching with computers

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

a course taught withcomputers

taught distance learningcourse

online collaboration withcolleagues

no

yes

most Geographers use computers

few involved in online courses or online collaboration

Computer as a tool

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

important

indispensiblePOTENTIAL

US

1990’s eEurope 2010

Survey 2005

THEM

Why use computers?

• most recognised learner benefits– Motivation, Flexibility– Broadening, Deepening

• Some commented on potential – Challenging courses, Exciting learning, High interactivity

• almost no barriers - few negative aspects• BUT fewer recognised teaching benefits

– Management and organisation– Assessment – More practical and better

• implies few have integrated computer use in teaching and learning process

What is needed for teaching and learning with computers?

• students need computers - in the hands of learners

• Internet and Intranet essential• online pedagogical tools (virtual learning

environments) not seen as important• less aware of distance learning aspects

like communication opportunities • specialist data and software thought to be

more important

Institutional drivers affecting computer use

• institutions require computer use by staff/students• most provide computers and support• few rewards for teaching with computers• less support for learners than for teachers• Geographers are less committed than GIS or

Geography educators to importance (centrality) of computers for learning and teaching Geography

Geographers least involved in computer-based courses

Computer-based learning

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

collaborated on computer-based course

professional developmentcourse

GeographyGeography educationGIS

Research Questions

• What are Geographers in Europe using ICT for? LOW LEVEL PRACTICAL FUNCTIONS

• What are their perceptions of ICT? ICT IS IMPORTANT

• What is their understanding of the potential of ICT? NOT VERY MUCH

• What are the drivers of change? STUDENTS

Managers are a key group

Managers responses (n=15)

“Ways computers enhance teaching of Geography”

Information

“allocate, interpret, arrange data, develop graphs, work with a Web-GIS, simulation and demonstration, work on a whiteboard”

“It is necessary in any kind of spatial geography and scientific questions as well as in education because it is a tool to analyse, visualise, restructure etc. geographical data”

Ways computers enhance teaching of Geography

Geo-information

“GIS as a tool to enhance the student’s understanding of social and natural phenomena on a local and global scale in a way most students are comfortable with due to their everyday use of computers for applications like gaming and communication etc.”

“In the development of models, in cartography and GIS, for searching journals, papers and access to maps and planning issues”

Ways computers enhance teaching of Geography

Global communication

“Facilitates information search from around the world, analysis of data, presentation of data (although great danger that Power Point used excessively at the expense of original thought and direct personal contact).”

“Potential for contact across national boundaries could be developed more”

“It allows students to broaden their awareness of ‘big’ issues like global economy and globalization processes”

Ways computers enhance teaching of Geography

Global and local communication

“Finding information on the web, collecting and evidence of students work, communicating with students (assessment, instructions...)”

“Allows possibility of elearning

“Enables access to data”

“More student-tutor interaction”

Ways computers enhance teaching of Geography

Scepticism“I don’t know. My feeling is that students consult a much wider range of information sources than before, but much more superficially.”“In presentation (oral, written), FORM tends to overrule FUNCTION in the use of computer technologies.”“Computer communication (mail, discussion groups in webCT, etc) tends to be much more shallow and casual than face to face communication, in my experience.”

What are the gaps?

• Bologna and eEurope implies that online education is central to the creation of a European Higher Education Area by 2010

• TUNING survey shows Geography academics think their degrees provide adequate information management skills

• employers and graduate attitudes disagree• While employers believe the use of ICT is covered

more than academics• Academics, employers and graduates agree on the

high relative importance of both as generic skills

Some action and proposals

• publication: State of computer use in Geography teaching in Europe

• training - Computers in Geography – a workshop for academics – Brno, Czech Republic (October 2005), aim to encourage more Geographers to provide online learning

• training for managers• series of best practise papers – how to use • Web site offering advice, guidance, examples (for

Geographers)• promotion of the benefits of learning (and teaching) online• possible European or international projects and • further research

Conclusions and recommendations

• Geographers should embrace online learning as it provides opportunities for significant levels of student interaction (Zell, 2001)

• e-Learning is essential for geographers as it has been shown to be an excellent facility for the development of collaborative skills including cooperative problem solving and teamwork activities (Simms, 2000)

• integrating e-learning within our Geography courses should be a high priority – it would encourage deeper, more reflective and student centred learning approaches, meeting the core goals of Bologna

Simms R (2000), An interactive conundrum: Constructs of interactivity and learning theory, Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 16(1), 45-57, http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet16/sims.htmlZell, A.J., (2001) Four uses of the Internet, http://www.sellingselling.com/articles/internetSelling.html

Thank you

HERODOT Disconnected!

“We’re waiting for technology to come to us”

Geographers @ home

teaching with technology

enlightened learning

student needs