GIS Boot Camp vs. Traditional Teaching
I recently came across a post about the Introduction to GIS class at the University of Richmond. Kimberly Klinker changed up her Introduction to GIS class from the traditional lecture/lab format to a boot camp/project format. She did five weeks of teaching basic concepts of GIS and the ArcGIS software then used the remaining part of the semester to assign a project. Wondering what the result was? Well according to the article, it was a success. The class was able to present a project that helps students with disabilities transverse the campus (Read more on this project).
This teaching style may sound very strange and unorthodox, but the evolution of education is providing various techniques to help students learn. I must first commend Ms. Klinker for thinking outside of the box. I do not believe that the traditional style of learning through lecture is the best method for this technology. However, the boot camp method may also not be the best. You have to remember that each individual student has their own learning style. Some are able to use a self study workbook approach and learn more than sitting under the lecture of an experienced professor. Others may prefer the traditional classroom style, while there may be a few who even like to learn by trial and error through experience. Is there a particular learning style that works best for Geospatial Technology? I believe that this subject cannot be taught through just lecture. There must be some type of application. Having book knowledge is OK, but putting that knowledge to use is even better.
I like that fact that these students were able to take on a project from start to finish. Application, application, application is important! Knowing how to perform a task is one thing; being able to apply it is another. Students can be provided with the tools for Geospatial Technology, but they must also be able to discern when it is best to put them to use.
Does a mixture of learning styles produce the best environment for learning GIS, or is there a particular style that works best?
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Kim Klinker on Wed, 25th Mar 2009 8:51 pm
Hi! Saw that you wrote about our student project. One change I’ve made this semester is trying to integrate the project and lectures along the way (not 5 weeks of lecture and 10 weeks of project). Based on the student responses some students felt we could have completely scrapped the lectures, others wanted more time to understand what they were doing, etc. I agree a variety of approaches works best. Having a project to undertake requires TRANSFER of knowledge and skills that cannot happen when following a set of carefully crafted instructions. Thanks for thinking about the University of Richmond & Go Spiders!
Tripp on Mon, 15th Jun 2009 10:03 am
It is a balancing act… Do we present to the students WHAT buttons to push? Or, do we teach the students WHY we’re pushing those buttons? The first approach fails because those buttons change, are moved, renamed, etc. The second approach fails because students don’t get the hands-on experience and confidence they need to further their GIS education.
When learning how to do regression, EXCEL and/or R is presented as a tool in which the calculations can be made quickly, not as the “regression tool”. Similarly, when learning about GIS or geospatial techniques, ArcGIS should not be presented as the “GIS tool”, but as one of many softwares that can facilitate your analysis.
I think this is where the opensource GIS community can come into play offering more choices and at a price many of the students and cash-strapped schools can afford.
But, then again, ESRI has 80% of the market (http://www.gisjobs.com/survey_usa/).
My $0.02.
-Tripp