The Society is delighted to be continuing our Data Skills in Geography project in 2019, thanks to additional funding from the Nuffield Foundation.
The project, which was initiated in 2016, supports geography teachers with the enhanced requirements for the use and analysis of geographical data in the latest GCSE and A Level specifications. By connecting schools with geographers in higher education and encouraging participation through local networks, the project has so far provided training to over 1,000 teachers and developed a well-used range of data-rich online resources. The project has also built partnerships with the awarding bodies, Esri UK, the Field Studies Council, Ordnance Survey, multi-academy chains and geography departments in a number of universities.
A review of the first two years of the project identified a positive impact on teachers’ confidence in their use of data skills and, by exemplifying the use of geographical data in the real world, it has demonstrated the importance and need for these skills.
During 2019 we will be running additional training sessions and providing specific support and advice to both trainees and fully qualified geography teachers wanting to use open access datasets in their teaching.
We will continue to use the project as an exemplar for other subjects to help them explore how they can strengthen their coverage of data skills, by disseminating the approaches and resources developed through this project. This will include engagements with a range of social science subjects, with the post-16 Core Maths initiative, and with students training to become computer science teachers.
Find out more at www.rgs.org/dataskills