Using Digimap for Schools in GCSE Controlled Assessment

When I spotted a great tweet from Rob Chambers (@RobGeog) the other week on how they use Digimap for Schools in GCSE Controlled Assessment at St Ivo School, I seized the chance to get some examples of what they’re up to.  Rob was kind enough, despite the chaos of a new term, to provide a list of how they use the service.  It’s brilliant to see how many way Digimap for Schools can be used.  Rob’s ideas are listed below, hopefully you will find inspiration for how you can be making the most of  Digimap for Schools for Controlled Assessment.

Huge thanks for Rob for the details!

We use Digimap in a number of ways specifically for GCSE Controlled Assessment

Our GCSE Controlled Assessment is usually based on urban studies in St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

Examples of use include:

* Creating base maps for use in data collection sheets which students are then able to map evidence on during fieldwork.

* Students will then use Digimap to access maps which they can then insert in Word or similar and use to present data – there are various examples below – these particular ones are examples I have created for PowerPoints but they are in effect what the students have gone on to do.

* creating flow lines on top of the maps (to show traffic flows)

* using as a base map to locate other data presentation techniques in terms of where the data refers to (to help with analysing spatial differences)

* students also use the distance tool to calculate relevant distances.

* students also use Digimap as a simple GIS – e.g. work on land-use in the CBD last year – during data collection they had a blank map from Digimap to mark on land-use – then back in the computer room they used tools on Digimap to draw polygons around the individual buildings and shade according to different land-use types (example given below is a student one which was saved in digimap).

* this year we have been looking at traffic management – students had a base map in the town for identifying where things were such as double yellow lines, cycle racks etc. and took pictures – back in the classroom they have then again used tools in Digimaps to add a layer using symbols to show the location of these.

Traffic Flow lines example

Traffic Flow lines

Traffic flows map

Cycle Ways use

Cycle management survey map

Land Use Map

Land use features