Urban Splash in Sheffield

A useful description of the plans for rebranding these flats...

BETT 2009 - technology for Geography

A nicely written piece in yesterday's Education Guardian: the annual supplement for the BETT show. I've written the Geography preview for the show for the last 3 years. The image of the Nintendo DS with Sim City being played is mine too.

The ONLINE VERSION is now available.

Check out the rest of the BETT Preview too.

I'll be at Teachmeet and will be manning the GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION's STAND in the SUBJECT ASSOCIATION area on Saturday the 17th of January.

Interdependence Day Seminar

Sheffield University Geography Department - 18th November - 4.15pm
Thanks to Dr. Tariq Jazeel for inviting me to yesterday's seminar by Dr. Renata Tyszczuk from the Architecture department of the University of Sheffield on the Interdependence Day project , which looks at the nature of global environmental change, as we enter the era that has come to be known as the Anthropocene : one of human landscape- alteration and environmental instability.
It explored interdependence as framework for discussion on human alteration of the world.
It also featured the Mappae Mundi project
This project is currently being developed with partners at the Open University and is a cross-disciplinary venture between Geography and Architecture, between `writing the earth´ and `making place´. Its ambition is to `put stories back into maps´.
Renata talked about 2 events at the Royal Geographical Society, and the publication “Do good lives have to cost the earth ?
Also passed out some broadsheets from the Interdependence Day meetings, including an excellent article: “London Inside Out” by Doreen Massey, which was familiar to me from her book “World City”.
Talked about 2 story-based pieces:
We don’t know when it’s coming in (PDF download)
Relating to clothing, and connections the British Antarctic Survey, and the charity clothing shop where items were sold.
We don’t have a survival kit (PDF download)
New maps for an island planet, and ideas of provisionality and uncertainty.Thanks to Dr. Jazeel for the invitation.

One of the other groups that attended the Interdependence Day project day was RED REDEMPTION.

They have produced an intriguing CLIMATE CHALLENGE GAME, which can be played online.

Remember that your students are 'all' playing games - everyday geographies...

Ning Groups

We now have 13 groups on the Geographical Association's NING. Some are shown below:

Once you've signed up for the Ning, feel free to join an existing group, or suggest another group that you would like us to create !

David Lambert, Chief Executive of the GA is delivering a lecture at Sheffield University tomorrow tonight.

It's part of the Centenary Lecture Series.

Department of Geography Centenary Lecture
Geography in schools: misheard or misplaced?
Professor David Lambert (Chief Executive of the Geographical Association)
5:30 pm Richard Roberts Auditorium

I shall be in the audience, and will be doing some live blogging and also posting updates to my TWITTER FEED.

If you want to JOIN IN, then JOIN TWITTER if you haven't already and CLICK TO FOLLOW ME on TWITTER.

Will also add BLOG POSTS HERE, and depending on my internet connection (which should be OK in central Sheffield) will also upload some PICTURES....

Coming up on the 8th of December is another rather fine lecture which I shall also attend:

Department of Geography Centenary Lecture
Beyond critical - some spaces of optimism in a globalised world
Professor Doreen Massey (Open University)
5:30 pm Students' Union Auditorium

GIS Resources

Those people who are concerned about how to teach about GIS should visit the ESRI site for plenty of materials.

First of all is a powerpoint which explains ALL ABOUT GIS

Another page has links to a load of resources, including an interactive movie outlining the connections that you have with GIS through the day.

Check these resources out !