By leveraging edtech, studentsʼ knowledge and understanding of local geography, industry and products were fostered - all without setting foot outside the classroom. Shizue Fukigami, Jougen Elementary School, Mine City, Yamaguchi prefecture.
Outline of the Class
First, students analysed text Cards with photographs of landscapes and streetscapes in Yamaguchi prefecture and tried to guess their location just by using clues in the photographs.
Next, students were tasked with making their own collection of maps of places in Yamaguchi They collected maps of interesting landscapes, terrain and topographical features, pasted them onto text Cards and added written explanations of why their chosen images were special or of interest.
Finally, the teacher used the Tunnel feature to share an original quiz on traditional local crafts from the places highlighted on the maps, such as Ouchi lacquerware, Akama inkstones and Hagi-ware pottery. The next lesson moved on to look at the people rather than the places of Yamaguchi, focusing on Hagi-ware pottery as an example of a thriving local industry.
LoiLoNote's Application
Thanks to effective use of technology, students in this small rural school were able to have a field trip-level experience without leaving the classroom. High-quality digital visual materials brought the subject matter to life and allowed them to visit and experience a greater variety of geographical landscapes and locations than would have been possible on a real field trip due to time and budget constraints.
Grade 3 students in this mixed grade class are less used to handling maps and so typically find it difficult to use the main textbook, sidereader and atlas to complete the set tasks. The app enabled them to quickly and easily access up-to-date, high-quality digital images and maps which made it easier to visualize and understand the geography and special features of their local area through concrete, realistic examples.
A Voice from the Classroom
According to teacher Ms. Fukigami, “In Local Area Studies, students need to be able to combine their understanding of topography, climate and so on from maps and atlases in order to comprehend the special features of the local area and industries that make use of it.”
“Using Google Earth, they were able to paste enlarged 3D map images into LoiLoNote and view the actual topograhy in class. In ths way, LoiLoNote was an aid to understanding for children who struggle to read and understand maps.”
“Before, we used to draw pictures on large-size paper and stick on photographs, but a lot of lesson time was eaten up by tasks such as preparing and making materials that were not directly related to the learning content. Thanks to LoiLoNote, we can now efficiently arrange a variety of expressive activities.”
