» Geography Teachers' Association of SA Inc.
1. Taking GIS to the classroom resource
The GTASA has recently launched a new resource to work with GIS in the classroom. The book is called "Taking GIS to the classroom" and is available from the GTASA for $35 for members and $85 for non-members. The resource is ideal for teacher and student use as an attractive and easy to use reference resource to learn about geographic information systems!! Data and learning videos are supplied on a CD with the book!
The book guides you through topics like this:
* Using the ABS website for research
* GIS terms and tools
* Creating a map of your local area
* Printing your map
* Creating your own geographic areas
* Thematic maps
* Creating buffers
* Using GIS to analyse
* Data use
* Dot density maps
* Collection Districts in Local Government Areas
* SQL analysis
* Mesh blocks
* How to read a Basic Community Profile
2. GIS in the field Resource
$80 for an unlimited site license
Click here for the GIS in the field brochure.
The book and accompanying CD Rom is a collection of introductory exercises and seven GIS applications written for teachers to use within their curriculum framework. The projects aim at supporting the classroom introduction of GIS concepts and procedures and to develop the student’s ability to analyse spatial information. It should be noted that the projects do not necessarily reflect best practice in the Spatial Industry. The projects are primarily designed to develop student GIS skills and to work with the available data for the purposes of teaching.
The projects are designed to provide basic to intermediate level templates for teachers to carry out meaningful and achievable field activities using GIS. The projects are presented as a set of guidelines, with step-by-step instructions and graphics to direct students through the problem solving process. All the data required to undertake the field projects are contained on the CD Rom accompanying the book. It should also be noted that the projects are generally adaptable for teachers wishing to make them relevant to their students’ local area by acquiring their local data.
While Geography teachers have designed the applications, the subject material is often applicable to other disciplines such as economics, science, history, mathematics and environmental studies.
We hope this book encourages the creative use of GIS by teachers, resulting in students using GIS in the field whether that is in the local area or other geographical locations during field trips or for individual field studies.
