Grant recipients: Peter Johnson, Peter Deadman, and Richard Kelly, Department of Geography and Environmental Management
Project team members: Peter Johnson, Peter Deadman, Richard Kelly, Grant Gunn
(Project timeline: January 2014-December 2015)
Project summary
Geomatics is the science of collecting and analyzing spatial information. As a methods-based discipline, Geomatics requires hands-on experience to link concepts to skills (Read, 2010). The Department of Geography and Environmental Management (GEM) traditionally teaches introductory Geomatics with lectures and supplementary laboratory components. This approach is standard across North American programs. Starting Fall 2014, GEM will deliver GEOG 187: Problem Solving in Geomatics, a novel course where students engage with topics formerly taught in a lecture format through hands-on experiences. This approach will increase student engagement and knowledge retention, providing problem-solving skills in demand from industry. This project will both develop the course and conduct a follow-up survey that evaluates student understanding of the threshold concept of map-scale. Outcomes from GEOG 187 will be compared to those from a course with similar content, GEOG 165, taught in a traditional format.
Project goals/outcomes and research questions
This project has three research outcomes; first, the development of pedagogic materials in advance of the first offering of GEOG 187. Second, is to assess student understanding of the map-scale threshold concept (Srivastava, 2013), and compare this to students from GEOG 165. Map-scale pertains to understanding the impacts of different scales of representation on the accuracy and interpretation of spatial phenomena, and is considered a transformative (or threshold) concept in geography, as it forms the base for understanding other concepts (Meyer & Land, 2003). Third, is the sharing of approaches and lessons learned within the Faculty of Environment and the University of Waterloo, as a step towards the continued development of a community of practice, and realization of the Strategic Plan emphasis on experiential education.
The specific question guiding this research is:
How effective are problem-based techniques to student engagement with the ‘map-scale’ threshold concept in GIS? How does the problem-based approach of GEOG 187 compare to students learning similar concepts in a traditional format (GEOG 165)?
Findings/Insights
This study traces the development of learner engagement with the threshold concept of map scale over the course of a term. Two separate first-year GIS courses with similar content, though differing instructional techniques are used to form a ‘pre-post’ comparison of learner engagement with map scale, as evidenced though course assignments and final projects. At the outset of the study, the learner profile in both courses can be characterized as ‘novice’. Learners had little prior experience using the techniques and software associated with GIS, and when asked to comment on map scale- specific aspects of two existing maps, learners provide a rudimentary overview of map scale, and indicate a general lack of vocabulary to appropriately critique and evaluate these aspects of a map product. Despite the similar starting point of learners enrolled in these two courses, by the end of the term, they demonstrated different levels of engagement with the map scale threshold concept. Those learners enrolled in the course instructed with more experiential techniques (GEOG 187), showed a higher degree of engagement with map scale, as determined via assessment of their final map project output, compared to learners in the more traditional GIS course (GEOG 181). A deeper investigation into the experiential course showed an incremental improvement in learner engagement with map scale, as evidenced through assessment of assignments completed throughout the term.
These findings have implications for the study of how the type of instructional approach used (traditional vs. experiential) may support learner transition of a threshold concept. Experiential techniques, with their focus on the reflection - experience cycle, have supported GEOG 187 learners in more completely understanding map scale, giving them the vocabulary and techniques required to realize appropriate cartographic representation in their assignments and projects. The differences in instructional approach between GEOG 187 and GEOG 181 are quite clear. Despite covering much of the same basic material, GEOG 187 allowed learners to experience geospatial data collection and then work iteratively with that data to create a series of progressively more complex maps over the course of the term. Comparably, learners in GEOG 181 were given polished datasets, and worked on a series of assignments that were disconnected from one another, with each assignment focusing on a specific component of map-making or cartography, but not necessarily building on previous assignments or facilitating the reflection, experimentation, and individual learning that characterizes an experiential approach.
Dissemination and Impact
- At the individual level: Research conducted with LITE support provided valuable experience for the senior PhD student project collaborator in developing and assessing a university-level course.
- At the institutional level: Presented at the University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference
- At the national and/or international levels: Two of the project collaborators have a manuscript currently under review with the Journal of Geography in Higher Education
Impact of the Project
This project has led to a greater experience with and confidence in using experiential techniques. It has also increased awareness of the challenges and difficulties (most notably the time and effort required) in developing experiential courses. As a result of this project, I would encourage others considering developing experiential components to their teaching to think carefully about the time required and to aim to secure resources (teaching release, additional funding, consultation with CTE) before embarking on this type of development. I have no doubt that without the LITE funding, I would not have developed this course in this experiential manner. The efforts from the GRA on this project were instrumental in testing and refining the approach for the course.
References
Project reference list (PDF)