Spatial literacy and associated geospatial technologies such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Satellite Remote Sensing and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have become increasingly important and pervasive in both society and education over the past 10 years. UCL is a partner to the “Spatial Literacy in Teaching” (Splint) Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning that is developing and implementing strategies to: 

  • Pioneer innovative approaches to progress the learning and teaching of spatial literacy through existing geography/geomatics spatial technology programmes.  These approaches are focusing on developing innovative curricula that exploit developments in virtual reality (VR) technology and that cater for the increasingly diverse disciplinary background of students on such programmes at graduate level (and senior undergraduate level)
  • Establish new formal points of contact with disciplines that are less spatially enabled, thereby extending and deepening the outreach of learning and teaching in geospatial technologies and enhancing spatial literacy across the UK HE sector
  • Establish state-of-the-art laboratories across the consortium for the advancement of spatial literacy teaching
  • Disseminate the outcomes of (1) and (2), both within the consortium institutions (Leicester, Nottingham and UCL) and the wider HE sector.

The outreach activities of the UCL Splint site are set out at www.spatial-literacy.org. They are designed to: achieve greater outreach and engagement for spatial literacy, in higher education and beyond; to develop new pedagogy for use with teaching and training programmes; and to promote knowledge transfer of cutting edge research through a broad range of teaching and training activities. These outcomes are achieved through: a programme of themed workshops and specialist meetings; cross disciplinary development of materials for use in new and improved learning programmes; and activities for continuing professional development, knowledge transfer and disciplinary outreach.

People

  • David Ashby
  • Mike de Smith
  • Paul Longley
  • Alex Singleton