2.7 Example of New Technology for Teaching Geography
There are different kinds of product of technology that are useful for teaching Geography. They include, internet interactive digital television, semi conductors, video, web-based instruction, intelligent tutoring systems, photography computers. Computer Assisted instruction video conferencing and discussion group.
There are capabilities that CAI can do that which other media cannot do. CAI has been found to be very effective in expressing geographical data, cartography, remote sensing, simulation of Geographical system, population forecasting and other Geographical information system. Today, automated and digital maps have replaced the traditional maps. Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) teaches at least as well as live teacher on other media that, there is a saving of time to learn, that students respond favorably to CAI, is can be used to accomplish impossible veracity in branching and individualizing instruction is will perform miracles in processing performance data.
Wike (2015), in an article on what is teaching in a new technological future said; teachers of tomorrow will have no choice but to become web-workers and not suffers, coaches and facilitators, they have not pass on knowledge but to encourage the development of high ordered skills as source evaluation and data interpretation not to mention the next century’s most vital skills of all time management. The educated adults of tomorrow will know how to cut straight to the core of any task and table to sort necessary information from superfluous, manage their time, and divide up their live and set limits on how much time they intend to devote to each part.
2.8 The Use of Technology To Re-Conceptualize Curriculum
In Social studies, several efforts have been made at using technology to re-conceptualize the curriculum; prominent among these efforts are the Annenberg media and the Harvard-Smith Centre for Astrology. They encourage the application of IT using Geography Web-sites and Video. The effort of Geography Association is also worthy to mention. The approach used was the constructivist approaches involve an active process in which teachers are to help learners construct new idea or concepts.
Balder stone and Lambert (2010) suggested some creative methods like; inquiry method, project method, drama, discussion, modeling, film making and application of IT in helping learners learn in a more meaningful and motivate contexts. Thomas and Macmahan (2011) observed that teaching thinking is hard and that is demands some change in teaching style. According to Hucklss (2012), we must acknowledge the fact that the subject has distance itself from the current changes in the society and development in modern curriculum theories and pedagogy. Therefore, the integration of the new technologies was suggested by Leat (2016) as something that would make the subject to be more stimulating and challenging.
Barnet and Milton (2013) on the need to increase classroom efficiency and re-conceptualize the curriculum using technology said. Two third of those who says they found school completely dull and uninteresting describe working with information technology interesting Half of those who claim they always behave badly at school get so interest in working with computers to the extent of not want to stop.
2.9 The Potentials of information Technology in the Teaching/Learning of Geography in Secondary Schools
The potential benefits of computer technology in Geography education can be identified as follows; automating repetitive, labour-intensive activities such as skills training can save staff time; use of e-mail for staff-students contact can save time and allow broadcasts of urgent messages or new information; visual field trips can offer improved preparation resources; access to interest can enhance range of information resource: compared with a conventional library, an online virtual library offers timeliness (constant updating of information), multiplicity (many users can have access to resources simultaneously) and variety or balance (multiple web sites can be used to represent constructing views e.g. on an environmental issue). Use of IT can facilitate and enhanced student learning, by supporting and encouraging the adoption of contemporary effective practices, e.g. a constructivist model of education (Duffy and Cunningham, 2014), resources-based learning, flexible learning (Wade et al; 2017), asynchronous virtual or online tutorials can produce educational benefits quite different from conventional tutorial for different groups. Information Technology promotes learning systems and environment by strengthening virtual premises, improve tools and methodologies among organizations and practitioners in the educational and training systems.
Also, electronic communication can support enhanced collaborative learning (Johnson; 2016, Bednarz, 2009). It customizes the instructional material to the specific needs of the students. Babatunde (2010) says “A conscious attempt by teacher trainers to use these technologies to conduct researches through online survey will reduce time losses usually incurred from survey instruments distribution by hand or mail, and the manual entry of responses for the purpose of analysis, interpretation and drawing of conclusion, likewise, online survey is less costly. Johnson (2016) and Bednarz (2010) pointed that increase use of Information Technology in teaching and learning raises a wide variety of issues which are technical, pedagogic, industrial, financial and strategic. For example: effective use of IT on any significant scale requires new teaching methods, and awareness of effective practices. It requires a further breakdown of the traditional ‘private’ nature of teaching, and, there is a need for active staff-developers, and substantial investment may be required in hardware and software.
