The importance of geographical information systems (GIS) technologies, their popularity, and ubiquitous usage amongst people from all walks of life cutting is well-documented in the literature. There is a compelling case to assert that children and young adults should be comprehensively exposed to GIS technologies in schools and educational institutions. However, there is scant literature which examine the status of GIS education in the senior secondary schools, and educational institutions, especially in the Indian context. A recent study shows that, GIS learners in India require comprehensive exposure to mathematics, statistics, geography, and computers, and the GIS is taught in a minimal manner at the senior secondary school level and the graduation level due to the complex nature of the GIS software, lack of financial resources for procuring computers, and the lack of trained faculty. The present paper carries the above investigation further through triangulation studies and also explores the various GIS map artefacts that could be possibly generated by an average student of the senior secondary school. This study finds that some of the senior secondary school teachers themselves are unaware of the algebra underlying logarithms, and latitudes and longitudes, and advocates a thorough review and capacity building of teachers of the geography subject and GIS at the senior secondary school level by the Government. The constraints faced by the students learning geography in the regional language are highlighted along with remedial measures.

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Geographical Information Systems Education in Indian Schools—Issues and Solutions

  • Sundar Balakrishna

摘要

The importance of geographical information systems (GIS) technologies, their popularity, and ubiquitous usage amongst people from all walks of life cutting is well-documented in the literature. There is a compelling case to assert that children and young adults should be comprehensively exposed to GIS technologies in schools and educational institutions. However, there is scant literature which examine the status of GIS education in the senior secondary schools, and educational institutions, especially in the Indian context. A recent study shows that, GIS learners in India require comprehensive exposure to mathematics, statistics, geography, and computers, and the GIS is taught in a minimal manner at the senior secondary school level and the graduation level due to the complex nature of the GIS software, lack of financial resources for procuring computers, and the lack of trained faculty. The present paper carries the above investigation further through triangulation studies and also explores the various GIS map artefacts that could be possibly generated by an average student of the senior secondary school. This study finds that some of the senior secondary school teachers themselves are unaware of the algebra underlying logarithms, and latitudes and longitudes, and advocates a thorough review and capacity building of teachers of the geography subject and GIS at the senior secondary school level by the Government. The constraints faced by the students learning geography in the regional language are highlighted along with remedial measures.