Other uses The iPad minis were used to facilitate learning in a number of Environmental and Geographical Sciences modules. The activities undertaken included: • Producing group presentations on ‘Citizen Science’

• Making iMovie trailers on ‘Conservation Biogeography’ (see Figure 3)

• Working in small groups to research and present a research proposal

Figure 3: Screenshots from iMovie

Various apps were used by the students and Apple TV was used to allow students to present their work immediately in the class. Informal feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. They thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and welcomed the opportunity to use creative learning techniques. Future plans • To continue to use mobile technology in the

field and classroom • To trial the iPad minis on fieldwork in Norway

MApping: integrating mobile technology into geography fieldwork learning and teaching

Naomi Holmes1* and Adel Gordon2

1School of Science and Technology 2Learning Technology *naomi.holmes@northampton.ac.uk

Aim: to enhance the student experience through the integration of mobile technology into geography fieldwork teaching and learning.

Introduction Recently there has been much research into the use of mobile technologies in fieldwork teaching and learning. Where it has been used the mobile technology has had a positive influence on student engagement and learning, and on the student experience. It is important to use and develop these technologies in our fieldwork teaching here at the University of Northampton for many reasons, including benefitting both students and the University. Benefits to students: • accessible technology and learning • familiarity with devices • learn and use new technologies being used by

employers • enjoyable and fun learning experience • group/team and individual working • flexible learning Benefits to the University: • increased student engagement • enhanced student experience • would allow development of similar activities to

enable distance learning students to learn field skills and undertake closely monitored field projects

The project The use of mobile technology was trialled in ENV2123 Physical Geography Practical. A Habitat Survey was carried out by small groups of students at Delapre Park in Northampton. Students borrowed iPad minis and used the apps Fieldtrip GB and Skitch to record data in the field. Fieldtrip GB (see Figure 1) allows users to record information on custom data collection forms along with photograph, video, audio and text data capture. Figure 1: Screenshots from the Fieldtrip GB app.

Skitch allows the user to take a photo or image and to annotate it (for an example see Figure 2). This is very useful for fieldwork. Figure 2: Field photo annotated in Skitch

Students engaged well with the technology and used the iPad minis to collect the habitat survey data. Being able to design the forms before the survey was thought to be very useful.

Acknowledgements We would like to thank the University of Northampton Innovation Fund for awarding funding to this project.