Last night, I set out on a search to find research-based support for the use of geocaching in the classroom. As geocaching is a relatively new phenomenom, I knew this would be difficult. I couldn't believe it when I came across the website of Dr. Alice Christie, a professor at Arizona State University. An expert in the field, she has been using this technology and giving workshops for the last few years. She presented at NECC last year and will do so again this year. I hope I can attend her session!
The article I read, Using GPS and Geocaching Engages, Empowers, and Enlightens Middle School Teachers and Students, reviewed the basics of geocaching, reviewed current research, outlined her model for using GPS units in the classroom, and provided examples of best practices. As I have already talked about the basics of geocaching in previous posts, I will spend the next few posts discussing her research and learning model.
Here is a link to her very informative podcast. If you still don't know what geocaching is, she does a great job laying it out!
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Did you notice the UGA heart in the cache (SP?) ammo box in the pod cast? GO DAWGS :)
On a more serious note...thanks so much for sharing. While I had an idea of what geocaching was, the podcast really made things clear. It sounds like an absolutely wonderful, hand-on, interactive thing for students to do. I can barely get my kids to understand latitude and longitude. I can only imagine how much more motivated they would be if they had the opportunity to use GPS's.
BTW, I still think Georgia Performance Standard EVERYTIME I see you use the word GPS. Can you tell what my schema has to say about that acroynm?
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