Abstract

Effects of GIS-use on the development of core competencies
Track: Educational Research and Teacher Education
Author(s): Kathrin Viehrig, Daniel Volz, Alexander Siegmund

Although there are several 'GIS in education'-groups in Germany and GIS has become included into a number of geography curricula, the progress of area-wide integration into everyday classroom practice is slow. From the perspective of educational theory, the decisive criterion for (or against) the use of a content or medium in geography lessons is its contribution to achieving the guiding objective of geography education. Hence, one of the main impediments to an increase of integration into classroom practice is the insufficient research base regarding the effect GIS has on geographical core competencies. After a brief overview of a research project underway at the University of Education Heidelberg and its context, the presentation will focus on first results obtained about the impact GIS-use in school has on aspects of students' spatial behaviour competence.

Kathrin Viehrig
University of Education Heidelberg
University of Education Heidelberg, Department of Geography
Im Neuenheimer Feld 561
Heidelberg , BW 69120
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)6221 - 477 577
E-mail: viehrig@ph-heidelberg.de

Daniel Volz
University of Education Heidelberg
Department of Geography, Im Neuenheimer Feld 561
Heidelberg , BW 69120
Germany
Phone: +49(0)6221.477.575
E-mail: volz@ph-heidelberg.de

Alexander Siegmund
University of Education Heidelberg
Department of Geography, Im Neuenheimer Feld 561
Heidelberg , BW 69120
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)6221.477.570
E-mail: siegmund@ph-heidelberg.de