PT3 Now! 203 - Watch in Real Player
We visit two multidiscipline high school classes in Mississippi using Geographic Information Systems, and see the professional development and student mentors needed to use this software in the classroom.
Introduction - Watch
PT3 NOW! looks at how colleges of education are preparing tomorrow's teachers to use technology. We also visit K-12 schools where technology integration is changing traditional classroom activities.
GIS Training - Watch
In this segment, we visit a high school in Mississippi using Geographic Information Systems as part of a Technology Innovation Challenge Grant. We see what professional development is needed for teachers who are using GIS/Arcview software in their classrooms and how student mentors are used in the process.
Panel Discussion of GIS Training - Watch
The studio panel discusses the complexity of training teachers on sophisticated technology such as GIS. GIS software is used in professional environments; it was not designed as an educational tool. Therefore, teachers need to have deep content knowledge in addition to technology skills. The panel also discusses the importance of commitment from the school administration.
Teaching and Learning with GIS - Watch
In this segment, we experience teaching and learning with Geographic Information Systems through two high school multidiscipline classes using GIS/Arcview software in an AIDS project and community atlas project.
Panel Discussion of Teaching and Learning with GIS - Watch
The panel discusses the important factors of Geographic Information Systems lessons including rich science content knowledge, scheduling flexibility and the collaborative roles of the student and teacher. For students, GIS offers dynamic data and an ongoing discovery process. The educational pricing for the software is attractive, but the investment in professional development is high.
