Google Earth and sustainable development education: examples from human and physical geography

Abstract

Google Earth is a web-based virtual globe that has seen increasing use over the past five years as a teaching tool and learning resource for geography, earth and environmental science students. This paper explores some of the potential uses of Google Earth in sustainable development education, and assesses its value for staff and students. Over a two year period, different projects were devised that required undergraduate students to engage with Google Earth and reflect on its value. The projects included a final year investigation into climate change in northern Africa which was also used as a learning resource for postgraduate students, a project to assist disaster response coordination following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and a first year exploration of development issues in a variety of locations in the global South. The findings of the research highlight the variety of uses of Google Earth in both physical and human geography, both as a teaching tool and a learning resource. It has great potential to raise awareness of places, issues and technology, to inspire investigation and learning, and enhance understanding of global issues including climate change.

Capacidad de las TIC para virtualizar el trabajo de campo teoría y práctica desde la geografía

“…En este sentido, las herramientas de visualización y modelización topográfica tridimensional de la superficie terrestre que ofrecen diversas plataformas, como Google, son muy eficientes y han sido utilizadas por varios autores. En especial, destaca la herramienta Google Earth o Google My Maps (Gómez Trigueros & Moreno Vera, 2018;Minocha et al, 2018;Schaaf et al, 2012;Thorndycraft et al, 2009). Se trata de un valioso recurso para implementar un viaje/salida virtual con un potencial excelente para la educación geográfica superior (Patterson, 2007).…”

Türki̇ye İkli̇mi̇ni̇n Öğreti̇mi̇nde Google Earth Programinin Öğrenci̇ Başarisina Etki̇si̇

“…As a matter of fact, many studies have been carried out on the impact of GE program on teaching geography subjects (Cruz and Zellers, 2006;Wilson et al, 2009;Chilcott and Haslett, 2010;Cuviello, 2010;Gobert et al, 2012;Schaaf et al, 2013;Thankachan and Franklin, 2013;Öğütveren, 2014;Ayas et al, 2015;Blank et al, 2015;Merç, 2017;Xiang and Liu, 2017;Hsu et al, 2018;Yayla, 2019;Koçak, 2020). These studies conducted about the field have shown that both printed maps and location-based digital GE maps can be used in teaching geography subjects.…”