Technological advances have created the ability to put lectures, tutorials, and student activities online for academic instructors. However, for most teachers, especially those accustomed to traditional delivery methods, this creates a daunting task that involves radical re-skilling and effort.

E-Learning for Geographers: Online Materials, Resources, and Repositories draws lessons from a unique collaboration of an international team of geographers, educationalists and computer scientists in developing learning materials. Descriptions and access to the learning resources developed in the geography topic areas is provided to the reader along with general guidance relevant to all who intend to work in an array of applications within the vibrant and growing field of electronic/online learning.

Coverage:

The many academic areas covered in this publication include, but are not limited to:

Census and population analysis
Collaborative learning activity design
Concept mapping
Developing academic integrity in students
Developing e-learning in geography
Effective e-learning activities
E-learning for geographers
E-learning materials and activities evaluation
Environmental Management
EO principles to physical geography students
Exchanging e-learning materials, modules and students
Geography related multimedia
Geomorphology
Semantic Tools

Reviews & Statements

This book makes a unique contribution to methods of collaboration between partners in developing common materials, linking courses and sharing students, pointing to a joined up and networked future of learning

– Philip Rees, University of Leeds, UK

This book is especially impressive with the models for international study groups and scholarly exchanges.

– Book News Inc. (February 2009)

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Editor/Author Biographies

Phil Rees has been professor of population geography at the University of Leeds since 1990, having previously been Reader (1980-90) and Lecturer (1970-80). His research focuses on population analysis in a wide range of applications. Recently he has worked with John Parsons for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimating the socio-demographic makeup of the regions of the UK for 2010 and 2020 as part of a project on child poverty. This project included ethnic group projections for UK regions, which are being intensively developed in 2007-9 with funding from ESRC. He has studied the social geography of the UK and the US using population census data from 1960/61 to 2000/01. He assisted Daniel Vickers in producing the new 2001 Census Output Area Classification (OAC) which is being widely used by social scientists and practitioners as a convenient way of summarizing millions of data about small areas. From 1992 to 2002 Phil Rees coordinated the ESRC/JISC Census Programme, which delivered census data in electronic form, free at the point of use, to all UK HE and FE staff and students. In 2004 he was awarded a CBE in recognition of this work. Throughout his working career Phil Rees has been an active teacher of undergraduates, masters students and doctoral postgraduates. He uses computer-based practicals in his demographic methods course and employs e-learning materials on census analysis in both distance and campus based masters’ programmes. With David Martin and Paul Williamson he edited The Census Data System, Wiley (2002). Other edited books include Population Migration in the European Union, Wiley (1996), Elderly Migration and Population Redistribution, Belhaven (1992), Migration Processes and Patterns Volume 2, Belhaven (1992), Population Structures and Models, Allen and Unwin (1986), Regional Demographic Development, Croom Helm (1979) and Models of Cities and Regions, Wiley (1976).

Louise Mackay is a research fellow in the School of Geography at the University of Leeds. Since 2003 she has worked on the JISC Digital Libraries in Support of Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning in Geography project as a learning materials developer and tutor of online materials in Earth Observation to Physical Geography undergraduates. From 2003 to 2006 Louise lived in Tokyo, Japan, whilst delivering online materials to students at the University of Leeds, a unique experience which provided considerable insight to the nature of online teaching and learning. Her academic research focuses on land cover extraction and analysis from high spatial resolution Earth observation data, supported by over 8 years experience in spatial analysis, geographical information systems and image processing. Louise has an undergraduate degree in Geography, a Masters degree in Applied Remote Sensing and a PhD in Earth Observation; throughout her career she has developed and delivered material for undergraduate, postgraduate and industrial consultancy teaching in GIS and Earth Observation. For this book her experience of developing and delivering online materials, evaluation of online teaching and the introduction of digital repository use as a means to collect materials for storage and appropriation provides the background material to several chapters.

David Martin is professor of geography at the University of Southampton, and director of the economic and social research council's census programme, which provides access and support for UK census data use across higher and further education. David's research and publication over the last 20 years have continued to centre around the theme of his original text Geographical Information Systems: Socioeconomic Applications (1996), with a particular focus on the use of GIS in census and health care. His research on automated zone design led to the creation of an entirely new output geography system for the publication of the 2001 Census in England and Wales. David has a longstanding interest in research-led geographical education, reflected in Methods in Human Geography: a Guide for Students Doing a Research Project (2005), edited with Robin Flowerdew, and his role as a co-director of the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods. He also leads a number of e-learning projects within the School of Geography at Southampton.

Helen Durham has been a research officer in the school of geography at the University of Leeds since 1993 and has worked on a variety of externally-funded projects. Her skill areas are in spatial analysis, geographical information systems and the UK Census. Helen has carried out research in internal migration and population dynamics in Europe with Professor Phil Rees and Dr Marek Kupiszewski, co-authoring a series of working papers and journal papers from 1996 to 2001. From 2000 her focus has been in supporting and developing e-learning material, firstly for the JISC-funded Collection of Historical and Contemporary Censuses (CHCC) project and since 2003 on the JISC/NSF Digital Libraries in the Classroom Programme. Helen played a major role in the development of an online Census Atlas, a digital resource started under the CHCC project and completed as part of the DialogPLUS project. The Atlas allows the visualisation and exploration of Census data from the 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 UK Census, both for individual Census years and also examining the change over time across the three-decade period. A paper describing the Census Atlas, which Helen lead authored, was published in Area journal in 2006.

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Editorial Advisory Board

Katherine Arrell, Lecturer of Physical Geography, University of Leeds,UK

Grainne Conole, Professor of e-Learning, Open University

Oliver Duke-Williams, Research Fellow, University of Leeds, UK

David Martin, Professor of Geography, University of Southampton and Director, ESRC Census Programme

Karon McBride, Learning Technologist, University of Edinburgh

Andrew Nelson, Research Fellow, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ispra, Italy

John O’Donoghue, Professor of Learning Technology, University of Central Lancashire

James Petch, Head of Distributed Learning, University of Manchester

Niall Sclater, Director Open University VLE Programme, Open University

Mark Stiles, Professor of Technology Supported Learning and Co-Director, The Learning Development Centre, Staffordshire University