Enhancing the teaching and learning of History and Geography through ICT: A Mauritian experience Virtual Centre for Innovative learning Technologies, University

Enhancing the teaching and learning of History and Geography through ICT: A Mauritian experience

Virtual Centre for Innovative learning Technologies, University of Mauritius

Presented byDorothy Cooshna Naik

A research project by the VCILT- University of Mauritius

Enhancing the teaching and learning of History and Geography

through ICT: A Mauritian experience



•Introduction

•The Project Rationale

Current teaching practice

Aims & Objectives

• Overview of the multimedia environment

• Multimedia considerations

• Pedagogical concepts applied

•Ongoing testing & evaluation

• Recommendations & conclusions

PLAN



The Virtual Centre for Innovative Learning Technologies (VCILT) has developed an interactive multimedia pedagogical support (CD-ROM) to be used in standards 4 and 5 (students aged 8-10) of our primary schools.

RESEARCH PROJECT

•Funded and supported by the Mauritius Research Council (MRC) and

developed by the VCILT

• In collaboration with :

>Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES).

>Ministry of Education, Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE),

>The Mauritius College of the Air (MCA)

• and the support of

> The Ministry of Education and Scientific Research (MoES)



Project Started in July 2003 and was completed in June 2004.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Project Coordinators

History and Geography consultants

Museum consultant

Graphic Designers/Illustrators

Web and Multimedia Developers

Audio and video specialist



Assessment of situation of history and geography teaching

• Acessibility to sites and museums (arrangements)

• Reluctance to take pupils on some site visits (historical sites)

• Constraints of time and funds for visits, activities, books, etc.

• Reluctance of teachers to integrate such visits in their work plan

• Teachers’ concern about introduction of new learning and teaching

strategies in history and geography.

• Availability of stimulating text books and materials



- Based on existing History and Geography curriculum for standards 4-5. A selection of topics has been addressed.

-Not intended to replace the prescribed textbook. To be used as a teaching aid and a reinforcement/consolidation tool.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

-Tries to Cater for different types of learners (auditory, kinesthetic, visual). Minimize the use of content and favours ‘visual and practical’ History and Geography.

-Enhancing existing contents by interactivity (audio, animations, etc).



- More learner centered rather than teacher oriented.

- Aim to provide high quality material to children.

- Encourages transdiciplinary learning - Learning ICT

through History and Geography, literature, etc

AIMS & OBJECTIVES



• The CD would be an exciting learning experience for the primary school teachers as well as for the pupil.

• Mauritian History and Geography to be presented in a non-insular way as part of regional and world history and geography.

• Emphasis on ‘doing history and geography’, i.e., trying the tools and methods of historians and geographers.

• Make History and Geography come alive.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES



CONTENTS & FEATURES OF THE INTERACTIVE CD

•Mauritian context – characters chosen dodo and tortoise which are familiar to the Mauritian child

Interactive activities based on a selection of topics from the curriculum

•Integrated internet links for further sources of information such as image database (restricted), external links, hypertext, etc.

•Interactive Activities , Library Corner providing textual and visual reference material on the topics, Teacher’s corner, Simulations, Picture Gallery, External links



MULTIMEDIA DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

•User friendly interface with bright stimulating and tropical colours, simple intuitive icons, visual motivational cues. Colours used to reflect a playful mood

•Motivational factors that are crucial to any effective learning. User friendly interface with bright stimulating and tropical colours, simple intuitive icons, visual motivational cues.

•For narration techniques/long text, the learner controls how he or she receives the information. Next and back buttons are given to allow the student to read at his or her pace.

• Feedback : visual and auditory.



CURRICULAR STRATEGY IN THE CD

percolation strategy use is made of the work of historians and

approaches of historians permeate to classroom

enhancement strategy involving current history teaching and the use of multimedia to enhance it .



History & geography pedagogical concepts

Cause and Consequence



PEDAGOGICAL CONCEPTS

Continuity and Change




Chronology, Evidence, Situation




Places, Location,Scale



Learning approaches

Discovery Learning: An example of ‘discovery learning’ on the CD is the activity on archaeology whereby the learner discovers information gradually by interacting with the interface.



Learning by association: the activity on ‘Temperature’ whereby the student has to make the relationship between temperature and the thermometer



Learning by understanding:the activity on ‘cardinal points’ where the student is presented with a series of questions to complete successfully the task.



Multidisciplinary approach

Skills acquired:

Reading, listening, understanding, observation, recording, etc

Computer skills Using the mouse, clicking, drag and drop, opening & closing windows, typing, etc.



MILESTONE TESTING

•Pupils of Soopaya Soobiah Government School (std 4-5)

•Pupils of Step Ahead Primary School (Std 4-5)

FEEDBACK

Difficulties/problems encountered by pupils were taken into consideration throughout the development of the CD:

•Different levels of reading skills – Audio was included and reading and listening were encouraged.

•Different level of Computer Proficiency– A ‘basic skill’ section on using the computer was included.

•Simplified instructions provided

•More visual feedback provided such as ‘Well done’ or ‘Try again’



FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

•To address additional topics with more complex activities •To have training sessions for the teachers to assist and guide them how to use this educational aid as effectively and creatively as possible.

•Implementation of the CD in our primary schools.Close monitoring and evaluation .

•Measure the effectiveness of the integration of multimedia in other subjects such as science, etc.



ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

Ministry of Education and Scientific Research

Mauritius Research Council (MRC)

Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES)

Mauritius Institute of Education ( MIE)

Mauritius College of the Air

Development Staff of VCILT, University of Mauritius

School teachers and pupils

National Museums Council

Mauritius Meteorological Services

Documents

Enhancing the teaching and learning of History and Geography through ICT: A Mauritian experience Virtual Centre for Innovative learning Technologies, University