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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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22The use of ICT <strong>in</strong> <strong>Geography</strong> departments<strong>in</strong> European higher educationKarl DonertLiverpool Hope UniversityHope Park, Liverpool L16 9JD, UKe-mail: donertk@hope.ac.ukAbstract<strong>Geography</strong> is a very visual and contemporary area of study <strong>in</strong> higher education. It has a criticalrole to play <strong>in</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g lifelong learn<strong>in</strong>g skills and competencies for society, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g thoseconcern<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation and communication technologies (ICT). This paper reviews someof the results of a survey undertaken at the birth of the <strong>HERODOT</strong> Thematic <strong>Network</strong> for<strong>Geography</strong> <strong>in</strong> higher education <strong>in</strong> late 2002. It considers the use and implementation of ICTby academics, the student learn<strong>in</strong>g approaches encouraged and the professional developmentneeds of academics. The lack of implementation of modern ICT, especially elearn<strong>in</strong>g, andlow level of <strong>in</strong>tegration of ICT <strong>in</strong> <strong>Geography</strong> are reported on. The paper then assesses someof the issues <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> encourag<strong>in</strong>g change and concludes with the members’ perceivedrole of network.Key words: ICT, elearn<strong>in</strong>g, Bologna, professional development, <strong>HERODOT</strong> networkIntroductionIn Europe, higher education systems are <strong>in</strong> a state of great change and as highereducation organisations experience massive reform it is likely that those <strong>in</strong>volved willneed to work <strong>in</strong> many different ways. Higher <strong>Education</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutions across Europeare undergo<strong>in</strong>g significant changes, not only of their layout and structure, but alsotheir own approaches to education (Sangra, 2002). The comparative analyses ofsuch systems can lead to benchmark<strong>in</strong>g and standardisation of approach, throughfor example the TUNING Project (Haug, 2001).One significant development has been the rise of a computer technology that hasthe power to transform education <strong>in</strong>to <strong>in</strong>novative learn<strong>in</strong>g and teach<strong>in</strong>g situations,Innovation <strong>in</strong> the use of <strong>in</strong>formation and communications technology (ICT) hasa huge potential for widen<strong>in</strong>g access and support<strong>in</strong>g learners as and when they needit (Richardson, 2001). So higher education should be respond<strong>in</strong>g to new k<strong>in</strong>ds ofstudents, those who want ‘anytime-anywhere’ courses which suit them rather thanwhat the teachers want to deliver. The significance of this has yet to be realised.The affordability and wider access to today’s powerful <strong>in</strong>formation technologiesshould promote the widespread development of modern education (Wagner andSzacs, 2000). An <strong>in</strong>teractive computer-based approach to teach<strong>in</strong>g and learn<strong>in</strong>gshould be match<strong>in</strong>g the powerful changes that are tak<strong>in</strong>g place <strong>in</strong> our rapidly evolv<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>formation culture.

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