The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Publications Copernicus
Download
Citation
Articles | Volume XXXVIII-6/W27
https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XXXVIII-6-W27-23-2011
https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XXXVIII-6-W27-23-2011
05 Sep 2012
 | 05 Sep 2012

COMBINING DISTANCE AND FACE-TO-FACE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SPATIAL COMPUTATIONS

E.-K. Gulland, A. G. T. Schut, and B. Veenendaal

Keywords: gis, higher education, geographic information science, student engagement, e-learning, distance learning, programming, problem solving

Abstract. Retention and passing rates as well as student engagement in computer programming and problem solving units are a major concern in tertiary spatial science courses. A number of initiatives were implemented to improve this. A pilot study reviews the changes made to the teaching and learning environment, including the addition of new resources and modifications to assessments, and investigates their effectiveness. In particular, the study focuses on the differences between students studying in traditional, oncampus mode and distance, e-learning mode. Student results and retention rates from 2009–2011, data from in-lecture clicker response units and two anonymous surveys collected in 2011 were analysed. Early results indicate that grades improved for engaged students but pass rates or grades of the struggling cohort of students did not improve significantly.