Leading organisations join forces to help schools introduce GIS into lessons

March 29, 2010 — The Geographical Association (GA), the geography subject association, and ESRI (UK), the UK’s leading GIS software provider, today announce that ESRI (UK) has become the GA’s first corporate member and strategic partner. This new partnership brings together ESRI (UK)’s expertise in GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and the GA’s understanding of the learning and teaching of geography. With GIS now a compulsory part of the national curriculum, the organisations will combine forces to help teachers respond to the curriculum changes and introduce GIS into geography lessons.

The signing of this first partnership agreement is a new departure for the GA. With funding in place for the next three years the GA can plan ahead, working with ESRI (UK) to introduce the power of GIS technology to schools as part of its mission of furthering the study, learning and teaching of geography.

Last summer ESRI (UK) responded to the curriculum changes, launching its GIS for Schools Programme which offers GIS software specially designed for schools and a wealth of resources. In an online resource centre teachers can watch video tutorials and download step by step lesson plans on topics ranging from tracking hurricanes to the spread of swine flu.

“We are delighted and honoured to be working with the GA in this groundbreaking partnership,” said Dr Richard Waite, Managing Director, ESRI (UK). “We believe passionately that GIS brings a new dimension to the teaching of geography, giving students both a deeper understanding of their subject and skills they can take into the workplace. More than 120 schools have now signed up to our GIS for Schools Programme. Working with the GA and its members we can build on this success over the next three years, encouraging more schools to use GIS and creating a community of teachers who will share their knowledge of GIS, their enthusiasm and their resources.”

Professor David Lambert, Chief Executive of the GA, commented:
“The GA looks forward to embarking on this strategic partnership with such a significant and influential company as ESRI (UK). With 6000 members we reach into most secondary schools in England - and a good many primary schools - with support and guidance for teachers of geography.

Driven by our charitable mission, to further geographical knowledge and understanding through education, we are passionate about the role of geography in schools and its engagement of young people to become informed and capable citizens. GIS can add enormous value to geography lessons and we are keen to encourage teachers to integrate it appropriately into their creative ‘curriculum making’. ”

The first milestone of this partnership will be the GA’s Annual Conference at the University of Derby, 8 - 10 April. In the public lecture preceding the conference Dr Waite will explore what GIS means for teachers and students, explaining why GI skills are becoming increasingly important in the workplace, how GIS can enhance the teaching of a broad range of subjects, and how geography teachers can lead the way.

About ESRI (UK)

ESRI (UK) ( http://www.esriuk.com ) is the leading provider of GIS software and services in the UK and part of the global ESRI network.

As geographic information is at the heart of most organisations, GIS has an increasingly important role to play in helping businesses become more profitable and public services more efficient. ESRI (UK) supplies a wide range of customers in many different markets, including business, local and central government, defence, the emergency services, utilities (water, electricity and gas) and telecommunications.

The potential of GIS as an educational tool has recently been recognised, and GIS is now part of the national curriculum. ESRI (UK) has worked with teachers for many years, but in 2009 responded to the curriculum changes by launching its GIS for Schools Programme. This offers everything teachers need to integrate GIS into lessons: GIS software specially tailored for schools, maps and data, and both classroom and self-learning materials.

For more information about ESRI (UK)’s GIS for Schools Programme, please visit www.esriuk.com/schools

About the Geographical Association

The GA is the subject association for geography in schools nationally. Long established and with healthy finances, the Association has a strong and enduring presence in primary and secondary education. Supported by over 6000 members, the Association produces a magazine for teachers, three professional journals, an extensive and well used website, a face-to-face and online CPD programme and a wide range of professional publications.

We work well with government departments, statutory bodies and others in mainstream teacher support. We also have a range of partners with whom we undertake more leading edge kind of project work: see www.geography.org.uk/projects.

In addition to ‘support and guidance’ the GA occupies a subject leadership role taking its cue from the 2009 manifesto A Different View, which asks teachers to commit to geography as a subject specialism not as an end in itself, but as a dynamic medium for education: www.geography.org.uk/adifferentview

From its early origins, the GA has been committed to geography in education using the contemporary technology of the age. In 1893, this was the lantern slide. Today it includes GIS.