DECONSTRUCTING GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES: CONSIDERING THE ROLE OF SPATIAL THINKING ALONG WITH A TPCK (TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE) FRAMEWORK

More and more K-12 science classrooms are incorporating geospatial technologies into everyday practice. These technologies include global positioning systems (GPS) that collect data, geographic visualization tools, like Google Earth, that primarily display data, and geographic information systems (GIS) for data analysis. Each of these technologies has unique capabilities that can enhance student learning in a variety of ways. This session will discuss educational research on geospatial technology in relation to two areas: 1) spatial thinking and 2) technological pedagogical content knowledge.

The field of cognitive science considers spatial thinking to be multi-faceted, consisting of several factors, including spatial visualization, spatial orientation, and spatial relations. The specific capabilities of geospatial technologies and their impacts on student learning can be explored through these spatial factors. The field of educational technology offers the theoretical framework of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for understanding geospatial technologies. TPCK is the notion that different educational technologies have different and unique affordances for learning that must be viewed through the lens of both content and pedagogy when one is studying impacts on student learning. This session will review current research on teaching and learning with geospatial technologies and as well as provide guidance for the direction of future research.