Teaching Geography with Technology—A Critical Commentary

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as a way to enhance learning (e.g. Koehler and Mishra CITE 9:60–70, 2009; Rada et al. 1996; Scott 1996), especially in geography (Nguyen et al. 2008; Razikin et al. 2009; Goh et al. 2012). “There is no escaping the web of information technology , and preparing our children to deal with the myriad aspects of this innovation is a task we cannot ignore” (Cheah 1997, p. 140). Some advantages of using ICT for learning include the allowance for self-paced learning, visualization facilitated learning, multi-media learning, constantly updated materials, production of new materials, assessments tailored based on learners’ progress and the resource-rich nature of materials from sources such as the Internet. Indeed, learning arises from a constructive process of reflection on the material provided and interacting with it (Farnham-Diggory 1990). There is “growing demand for a 21st century that is independent of time and space, oriented toward goals and outcomes, centered in the student/learner, geared to active, hands-on learning and [the ability] to accommodate differences in skills and language” (Aaggarwal and Bento 2000, p. 4). The authors will provide a conceptual approach to understand how learning geography can be enhanced with technology. Fundamentally, the question that helps us frame our understanding of ICT in geography learning should be “How does ICT help students learn geography better?”. Using ICT for learning geography can be understood in terms of how ICT can be used more efficiently, and how to encourage students to learn beyond facts and analyse and apply what they have learnt. With the rise of social media, there is also vast potential for students to curate information and produce knowledge . How then do we develop strategies to ensure that the exponential growth in information is not based on parochial individual naïve theories? Geography as a school subject, the authors argue, engages key affordances of using ICT for teaching and learning. But more importantly, ICT is just a tool and how a teacher chooses the mode of technology , sequence topics, design resources and even assess student learning will be determined by the knowledge and skills required to engage the subject, and in this case, geography.