This presentation for GIS Day 2020 organised by the GeoTech Centre, USA. It explores some of the different projects that Karl Donert representing EUROGEO is involved in and examines the integration of GIS and geo-tools into different sectors of education. The presentation includes the following school projects - GI-Learner and GI-Pedagosy, D3 - Developing Digital Data literacy, GeoCapabilities and EValue - European Values Atlas, MYGEO and HUM@N projects for universities and SEED for vocational training. In all cases geo-technology has been integrated in curriculum developments.

1. Karl Donert, Education Consultant
Vice President EUROGEO,
Director: European Centre of Excellence: digital-earth.eu
kdonert@yahoo.com
Integrating Geotechnologies
in European Education

2. https://www.eurogeography.eu/projects/
EUROGEO
Projects

3. GeoTechnology
Projects in schools
• GI Learner - a project to develop geospatial
thinking learning lines in secondary schools
• GI Pedagogy – innovative pedagogy and teaching /
learning with GIS
• D3 - Developing Digital Data literacy
• GeoCapabilities – powerful disciplinary knowledge
in Geography
• EVALUE – Atlas of European Values
• Spatial Citizenship – using Geomedia to empower
citizens

4. GI Learner Project
A spatially literate student …
has the following characteristics
• Habit of mind of thinking spatially – knows
where, when, how and why to think spatially
• Practices spatial thinking in an informal way
• Adopts a critical stance to spatial thinking –
evaluating the quality of spatial data,
uses spatial data to construct …
National Research Council, 2006, Learning to think spatially: GIS as a Support
System in the K-12 Curriculum, Washington DC, National Academy Press

5. Literature Review on spatial thinking
Literature Review
Based on the review:
developed 10 GI-Learner
geospatial thinking
competences, each with
a progression from easy
(A) to advanced (C)
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/publications/

6. Geospatial thinking
competences
10 competences
1. Critically read, interpret cartographic and other
visualisations in different media
2. Be aware of geographic information and its representation
through GI and GIS.
3. Visually communicate geographic information
4. Describe and use examples of GI applications in daily life and
in society
5. Use (freely available) GI interfaces
6. Carry out own (primary) data capture
7. Be able to identify and evaluate (secondary) data
8. Examine interrelationships
9. Synthesise meaning from analysis
10. Reflect and act with knowledge

7. What is a learning line?
A learning line is an educational term that refers
to the construction of knowledge and skills
throughout the whole curriculum.
This learning line reflects an increasing level of
complexity, ranging from easy (more basic skills
and knowledge) to difficult.
Zwartjes, L., 2014. The need for a learning line for spatial thinking
using GIS in education. Innovative Learning Geography in Europe: New
Challenge for the 21st Century, pp.39-62.

8. Learning Line example
learning
lines:
Fieldwork Working
with images
Working
with maps
Working
with
statistical
material
Creation of
knowledge
Level 1 Perception – knowledge of facts
Level 2 Analysis – selection of relevant geographic
information
Level 3 Structure – look for complex connections and
relationships
Level 4 Application – thinking problem solving

9. Project Outcomes
• Study materials created by teachers for 6 years of
study (K7-K12) on www.gilearner.eu – evaluated by
pupils
• Descriptions, interpretations, articles, essays, posters,
presentations based on online news, data, mapping-
services

10. • Online-maps using primary
and secondary data
• City tours using online-
mapping
• Story-maps on project work
• Pupil self-evaluation tool
Project Outcomes

11. All participants (5 countries)
Project Outcomes
Learning Success

12. WhatdidIlearn?
The project gave me the opportunity to get in contact with peers from other
countries, which I liked a lot!
It was new to me to test learning materials - a very interesting way of
learning!
We did not only discover Madrid in our final meeting, we also met people
from all over Europe. This was a very important experience for me and made
me more open towards other people.
Project Outcomes

13. Geo-policy document
Final publication for the wider
public, government …
Available in 7 languages
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/publications/

14. GI Learner – GI-Pedagogy
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/

15. GI Pedagogy
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/gi-pedagogy/
…. to provide teachers with
the skills and resources
they need to embed GIS
into their geography
teaching
… through using innovative
pedagogical approaches
Rosenshine, B., 2012. Principles of instruction: Research-based
strategies that all teachers should know. American educator, 36(1), p.12.
Sherrington, T., 2019. Rosenshine's Principles in Action. John Catt
Educational.

16. Rosenshine’s
principles
Rosenshine, B., 2012. Principles of
instruction: Research-based strategies that all
teachers should know. American educator,
36(1), p.12.
Sherrington, T., 2019. Rosenshine's Principles
in Action. John Catt Educational.
Sequencing
Questioning
Reviewing
Practicing
GI Pedagogy
https://www.gilearner.ugent.be/gi-pedagogy/

17. Developing Digital Data (D3)
Literacy Project
KA2 - 2019-1-BE02-KA201-060212
Open data, digital skills and
democratic engagement in school
education
11/18/2020 Kickoff meeting Bruges, 12-13 September 2019 KA2 - 2019-1-BE02-KA201-060212

18. D3 Project Outputs
IO1: Report: School curricula
qualifications and digital open data tools
IO2: D3 Professional teacher development
course
IO3: D3 Teaching toolkit
IO4: Gallery of Case Studies
11/18/2020 Kickoff meeting Bruges, 12-13 September 2019 KA2 - 2019-1-BE02-KA201-060212
https://d3.youthmetre.eu/

19. •
D3 Project Outputs
https://d3.youthmetre.eu/

20. Atenas, J and Havemann, L (2019). Open Data Sectors and Communities: Education. In: Davies,
Tim; Rubinstein, Mor; Walker, Stephen B. and Perini, Fernando eds. The State of Open Data:
Histories and Horizons. Cape Town and Ottawa: African Minds and International Development
Open data and education
(Atenas and Havemanns, 2019)

21. Framework for
teaching with
open data
(Coughlin, 2019)
Coughlan, T., 2020. The use
of open data as a material for
learning. Educational
Technology Research and
Development, 68(1), 383-411.
https://link.springer.com/article/1
0.1007/s11423-019-09706-y

22. • Open Data Charter on using open data for
inclusive development and innovation
Open Data Charter
https://opendatacharter.net/

23. http://geocapabilities.org/

24. GeoCapabilities 3: PDK
Story Map of teachers vignettes http://bit.ly/2Okh0kR
http://geocapabilities.org

25. Atlas of European Values
https://www.atlasofeuropeanvalues.eu/
Open data from
European Values
Study
Surveys on basic
human values
main topics - family,
work, environment,
perceptions of life,
politics and society,
religion and morality
and national identity

26. Atlas of European Values
https://www.atlasofeuropeanvalues.eu/

27. (based on STROBL
2008:134)
http://www.spatialcitizenship.org
Transformative
active and participative
getting involved
making a difference
Taking control
Individuals gaining power over spaces
Spatial Citizenship
Gryl I, Jekel T and Donert K, (2010), GI & Spatial Citizenship, In Jekel T, Donert K, Koller A and Vogler R, Learning with GeoInformation V, Berlin, Wichman Verlag

28. inga.gryl@uni-due.deFrom Gryl I (2014) GI_Forum
Spatial Citizenship
empower-
ment
teacher
roles
http://www.spatialcitizenship.org

29. MY GEO: Geo tools for
Modernization and
Youth Employment
https://www.mygeoproject.eu/

30. OBJECTIVES INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS
• MODERNISE GIS Teaching in higher
education through the identification of key
competences
• Promote the EMPLOYABILITY of students
by facilitating the acquisition of skills,
related to the use of GIS, particularly
required by the job market
• Promote INTERNATIONALISATION through
the definition of effective training methods
on GIS for students at partner companies
(learning by doing)
• O1: MOOC for Teachers
• O2: MOOC for Students – GIS
Portfolio
• O3: Mobility Tool MY GEO
• O4: Platform MY GEO
https://www.mygeoproject.eu/

31. https://iedra.uned.es/
MYGEO MOOCs
https://www.mygeoproject.eu/

32. GeoNode
http://geonode.mygeoproject.eu/
an open source platform “GeoNode” - a tool in
support of those interested in the sharing geo-data

33. Specifically, the GeoNode platform aims at fostering:
• The identification of uses of GIS in different sectors and the
applicability of GIS
• The interaction between students, businesses and academia.
• The employability of university students: through the
acquisition of key skills related to the use of GIS applications on
the labour market, as well as through the potential “matching”
between job applications and offers.
GeoNode
http://geonode.mygeoproject.eu/

34. MY GEO
Geo tools for Modernization and Youth employment
https://www.mygeoproject.eu/
https://www.facebook.com/MyGeoProject/
@mygeoproject

35. HUM@N Project: digital
humanities in higher education
https://www.digihuman.eu/

36. www.digitalseed.eu
The SEED project
Luc Zwartjes - UGent
Smart Entrepreneurial Education
and training in Digital farming
http://www.digitalseed.eu

37. www.digitalseed.eu
http://www.digitalseed.eu

38. www.digitalseed.eu
Why SEED?
Study conducted by CISCO and the
Digital Transformation Institute “The
impacts of digital transformation on the
Agrifood supply chain”
Importance for professionals involved in
the farming sector to have a wide-
ranging view and think about all the
processes of the production system.

39. www.digitalseed.eu
Word Cloud to describe what is
needed, apart from funding to
enable a digital transformation in
the agri-sector

40. 7PARTNERS
4COUNTRIES
DURATION
2YEARS
Analysis of existing EQF5
(4-6) Agrifood profiles
Developing and testing
(part of) the curricular path
Validation & recognition
from authorities
Units
collaboration
Experimenting
with assessment
criteria
(Transnational
mobility)
VET (meta)
Curriculum in
Digital Agriculture
PROJECT STRUCTURE
Smart Entrepreneurial Education
& training in Digital farming
Enhancement of work based learning
activites in existing curricula
ACTIONS
S
LOVENSKÁPOĽ
NOHOSPODÁR
SKAUNIVERZIT
A
NITRA
Development of a new VET qualification
profile: “Expert in Digital Agriculture”
3 months transnational mobility for 10
beneficiaries from each country

41. www.digitalseed.eu
Project structure
Developing and testing
(part of) the curricular path
Validation and recognition
from the authorities
Units
elaboration
Experimening
the
assessment
criteria
(Transnation
al mobility)
VET (meta)
Curriculum in
Digital
Agriculture
Analysis of existing EQF5
Agrifood profiles
Project Structure

42. www.digitalseed.eu
Not only EQF5
Total coverage of the
public/formal
qualifications between
EQF 4 and 6 of the
agrifood sector.
Not only
FormalNear/related fields of
non formal
qualifications in the
agro-digital domain,
choosing a few
relevant cases,
applying a “value-
driven” approach
Not only Agri.
Explore the digital
training field not
directly related to the
agriculture, but
identified as an
enabling innovation
factor.
Desk Research:
methodology

43. www.digitalseed.eu
287 courses
Out of which 250 are from
formal education and 37
from non-formal
education.
Main agricultural domains
Few formal qualifications (EQF 5 or 6) strongly
oriented to the digital farming. Explicit or, more
often, near-implicit presence of digital contents in a
broad range of agricultural qualifications (EQF 3 or
4).
Italy, 62
Spain,
161
Belgium,
39
Slovakia,
25
91
81
48
45
20
56
0 20 40 60 80 100
Agro-forestry
Crop-farmingq
Fisheries and acquaculture
Livestock production
Not-domain specific
Other
Desk Research:
statistics

44. www.digitalseed.eu
Main value-chain processes,
some statistics
32
100
193
118
41
40
38
6
4
45
0 50 100 150 200 250
Market analysis and forecasting
Production planning
Production management (use of the productive factors,…
Production quality control
Traceability and Quality assurance
Logistic (included integration in the local networks and…
Selling (i.e. e-commerce)
Community Shared Agriculture (CSA)
Short-chain production (0km – Selling from the house)
Other

45. www.digitalseed.eu
Main digital domains
involved, some statistics
62
125
83
31
45
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Thinking and modelling business and
productive processes
Gathering, collecting, integrating,
evaluating and using product/process data
Controlling and process automation
Identifying, buying and using digital
hardware and software technologies
Other

46. www.digitalseed.eu
Country profiles

47. www.digitalseed.eu
Total VET
courses &
qualifications
related to
farming

48. www.digitalseed.eu
Analysis main findings
•Cross-innovation between several fields
•Local innovation and domain-specific applications, not a systemic approach
•Gap between “technical” and “marketing” use of the digital technologies;
•Absence of clear and “complete” qualification of Expert in Digital Farming.
Widespread digital
knowledge NOT a
specific professional
profile
•Enabling to move from incremental to disruptive innovation effects
•Modularity, scalability, integrability and re-usability of digital knowledge
•Agro-digital economy, digital marketing and selling, customer satisfaction
“Strategic thinking” is
key for a really value-
added digital
innovation in farming
• Scarce knowledge to appreciate the advantages of the digital solutions
• Importance of easiness of use, efficiency improvement, sustainability
• Relevant influence of the cultural values,
• Importance role of the external agents, educational/training organizations
Entrepreneurial
challenge to manage
the decision making
process

49. www.digitalseed.eu
New qualification
aims
The Digital Farming Agent (DFA)
Seen primarily as an innovation agent and a firm
consultant, specialized in analysis, feasibility study,
business evaluation and technology change management,
as well as an operational support in the implementing and
learning by use processes.
A network agent, playing a connective role between supply
and demand of digital applications; Oriented to the practical application to the agribusiness sector, specifically
SMEs
 Accordingly to the 5° EQF level assumed as reference by the SEED project.

50. www.digitalseed.eu
Agribusiness
the economic knowledge
foundations and skills
(business models and
competitive drivers; logic and
organization of production,
logistic and selling processes;
integration in the value chain);
Digital
the technical knowledge
foundations and skills
(Information and data literacy,
Communication and
Collaboration, Digital content
creation, Problem solving)
accordingly declined to the
Agribusiness specificities
Innovation
the knowledge and skills
necessaries to understanding
the threat and the
opportunities, carrying on
feasibility studies, defining the
correct approach and
implement due actions, in
terms of project management
and change management.
Qualification
structure: CORE
UNITS

51. www.digitalseed.eu
AGRIBUSINESS Agribusiness
economy
Business models
Production
models
Marketing and
selling models
DIGITAL Information and
data literacy
Communication
and
Collaboration
Digital content
creation
Problem solving
INNOVATION Foundations
Digital
transformation
Feasibility study
and project
management
Change
management
Qualification
structure: CORE
UNITS

52. www.digitalseed.eu
Qualification
Structure: DOMAIN
APPLICATION
1. Strategic
planning and
sustainable
management
2. Precision
agriculture
3. Agrifood value
and added
services
4. Digital
marketing and e-
commerce

53. www.digitalseed.eu

54. Cloud Computing in Education

55. Citizen Science Opportunities

56. Each student will have their devices
All devices can access the Cloud

57. The Future of Technology
Matt Britland, The Guardian: 19 June 2013, http://tinyurl.com/o65bvcr
access, anywhere learning and collaboration

58. …. a framework is
needed for teachers
/ educators to thrive
in a Cloud-based,
(GIS) education
environment
Jisc, Digital Capability
https://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/building-digital-capability

59. Communicating Geography

60. Conclusions: Some Future
Perspectives
• Common message of ‘geography’
• Long-term commitment …… from EUROGEO
• Ongoing research and project development
• Some support from geo-industry, geo-business
• Linked to policy making
“What happens if we don’t develop the
innovative uses of geotechnology in
education?”

61. Karl Donert
kdonert@yahoo.com
@karldonert