Teachers as Curricular Innovators With Geospatial Tools in High School Science and Social Studies

• In Event: Innovative Use of Technology-Based Tools to Support Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This paper reports on a geospatial professional development and curriculum development with seven high school teachers in science and social studies at two mid-Atlantic public schools. As two of the seven demonstrated more success in planning and implementing curriculum-aligned geospatial lessons, we sought to identify salient teacher characteristics that explain the relative differences in outcomes and develop a visualization of teachers’ pathways towards independent, sustaining work with geospatial technology integration. Preliminary findings including (1) significance of teacher technical skills, curricular innovation, and leadership activities with geospatial tools, (2) impacts of teachers’ constrained use of geospatial tools, and (3) drafting a working visualization of teacher behaviors as they progress towards independent, sustained use of geospatial tools in curriculum-aligned instruction.

Authors

• Thomas C. Hammond, Lehigh University
  Presenting Author

• Kate L. Popejoy, Popejoy STEM LLC
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alec M Bodzin, Lehigh University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Douglas Leeson, Lehigh University
  Presenting Author