EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF VIRTUAL FIELDWORK IN TEACHING GEOGRAPHY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Yıl 2022, Sayı: 45, 76 - 87, 25.01.2022

Thomas Firomumwe

https://doi.org/10.32003/igge.973983

Cited By: 4

Öz

The main purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the opportunities of virtual fieldwork in teaching geography during covid-19 pandemic. Educational institutions embarked on e-learning as a result of longer stay in lockdown which restricted face-to-face teaching. However, geography as a subject largely dwell in fieldwork methodologies to impart environmental skills appreciation to learners. Thus, this research based on finding opportunities used to explore virtual fieldwork to promote environmental appreciation skills. The research was guided by three main objectives which sought to explore virtual fieldwork approaches being used by teachers during covid-19, identifying inquiry-based and experiential skills imparted by virtual fieldwork and determining teacher’s attitude towards virtual fieldwork in geography education. In answering these questions, the researcher used systematic sampling where 20 respondents were selected out of the population of 964 geography teachers. Interviews and questionnaires were the instruments used to gather data. The research established that geography teachers are using e-learning during this covid-19 pandemic. Videos, images and remote sensing tools are the major approaches used as method of integrating virtual fieldwork. The study finds that virtual fieldwork imparts research, analytical and generic skills in learners. Teachers’ attitudes were found to be positive because of their technological pedagogical content knowledge. Negative attitude was associated with lack of resources, in which the researcher recommends that teachers should be trained and provided with resources to support virtual fieldwork in schools.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Virtual Fieldwor, Covid-19, E-Learning, Distance Education, TPACK, Geography

Kaynakça

• Bacon, K. L., & Peacock, J. (2021). Sudden challenges in teaching ecology and aligned disciplines during a global pandemic : Reflections on the rapid move online and perspectives on moving forward. Ecology and Evolution, 11, 3551–3558. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7090
• Bos, D., Miller, S., & Bull, E. (2021). Using virtual reality (VR) for teaching and learning in geography: fieldwork, analytical skills, and employability. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 45(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2021.1901867
• Çaliskan, O. (2011). Virtual field trips in education of earth and environmental sciences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15(2011), 3239–3243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.278
• Evelpidou, N., Karkani, A., Saitis, G., & Spyrou, E. (2021). Virtual field trips as a tool for indirect geomorphological experience : A case study from the southeast part of the Gulf of Corinth , Greece. Geoscience Communication Discussions, 4(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2021-8
• Firomumwe, T. (2019). Experiences out of the Classroom: The Importance of Fieldwork in Learning Geography at Secondary School. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(3), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.3.15169
• Firomumwe, T. (2021). An Assessment on the Implementation of GIS and Remote Sensing in Teaching Geography in Zimbabwean Secondary Schools. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 16(4), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.16.4.17991
• Fuller, S., Ruming, K., Burridge, A., Carter‐White, R., Houston, D., Kelly, L., Lloyd, K., McGregor, A., McLean, J., Miller, F., O’Gorman, E., Suchet‐ Pearson, S., Taylor, H., Walkerden, G., Williams, M., & Ziller, A. (2021). Delivering the discipline: Teaching geography and planning during COVID‐19. Geographical Research, 59(3), 331–340. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12472
• Granshaw, F. D., & Duggan-Haas, D. (2012). Virtual fieldwork in geoscience teacher education : Issues , techniques , and models. Geological Society of America Special Paper, 2492(20), 285–303. https://doi.org/10.1130/2012.2492(20).
• Haris, N., & Osman, K. (2015). THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP ( VFT ) MODULE IN LEARNING BIOLOGY. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 16(3), 102–117.
• Maskall, J., Stokes, A., Truscott, J. B., Bridge, A., Magnier, K., Calderbank, V., Maskall, J., Stokes, A., Truscott, J. B., Bridge, A., Magnier, K., Maskall, J., Stokes, A., Truscott, J. B., Bridge, A., Magnier, K., & Calderbank, V. (2007). Supporting fieldwork using information technology. Planet, 18(1), 18–21. https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2007.00180018
• Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teacher College Record, 108(2), 1017–1054.
• Ruan, L., Long, Y., Zhang, L., & Lv, G. (2021). A Platform and Its Applied Modes for Geography Fieldwork in Higher Education Based on Location Services. International Journal of Geo-Information, 10(225), 3–17. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10040225
• Sanchez, E. (2009). Innovative Teaching/Learning with Geotechnologies in Secondary Education. IFIP World Conference on Computers in Education, 65–74.
• Shailey, M., Ana-Despina, T., & Steve, T. (2017). Affordances of Mobile Virtual Reality and their Role in Learning and Teaching. The 31st British Human Computer Interaction Conference, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/HCI2017.44
• Shailey, M., Steve, T., & Ana-Despina, T. (2018). Role of Virtual Reality in Geography and Science Education. Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series, Learning from New Technology, 1–14. oro.open.ac.uk
• Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in Teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.
• Thorndycraft, V. R., Thompson, D., & Tomlinson, E. (2009). Google Earth , virtual fieldwork and quantitative methods in Physical Geography. Planet, 22(1), 48–51. https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2009.00220048
• Trigueros Gómez, I. M. (2018). New learnıng of geography wıth technology: The TPACK Model. European Journal of Geography, 9(1), 38–48.
• Welsh, K. E., Mauchline, A. L., Powell, V., France, D., Park, J. R., & Whalley, B. W. (2015). Student perceptions of iPads as mobile learning devices for fieldwork. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 39(3), 450–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2015.1066315
• Yıldırım, S., & Ünlü, M. (2021). Evaluating in-service GIS training for geography teachers based on G-TPACK model. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education (IGGE), 44, 112–123. https://doi.org/10.32003/igge.958881