Author | Sarah Bowden, Education Manager, North
How do we use technology to help learners explore the past? Explore GPS and geocaching.
What do we offer?
ICT combines discovery and learning - often adding another dimension to a visit to a historic site.
GPS units
As you'll see from the case studies in this issue, geocaching is essentially a technological treasure hunt that includes cross curricular activities. At various sites we've developed GPS trails and hidden physical geocaches which contain anything from handling objects to activities and smelly cubes - all designed to open up new views of our properties. Some trails also focus on virtual geocaches, which encourage you to explore areas of our properties which you might otherwise have walked straight past.
The trails are primarily aimed at Key Stage 1 and 2, and we've provided GPS units on-site for schools use only. Each one is pre-programmed with the necessary coordinates, and we've created supporting notes and instructions to allow you to make the most of your visit. Families will also be able to use the trails/coordinates where we supply them but will need to use their own smartphones.
Where?
There are geocache trails at Witley, Housesteads Roman Fort, Wrest Park and Rievaulx. The teachers' kits for Dover and Rievaulx have coordinates for conducting a trail. GPS devices can be hired for visits to: Dover, Kenwood, Witley, Housesteads Roman Fort, Wrest and Rievaulx. The devices are coming soon to the South West region!
To book the GPS devices as part of your visit contact Customer Services Education Bookings team.
SonyPSPs
We've also done some work with Sony PSPs at Wroxeter in the Midlands and at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. At the moment, we're hoping to use them with 'second sight' software at Wroxeter from April 2012. Pointing the PSP at a QR code in a room will trigger snippets of pre-recorded relevant video interpretation about the rooms in the Roman Town House.
Where?
Will be available to hire from Wroxeter from April 2012. They will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis and there will be no charge for using them.
Flip cams
Flipcams are available at several sites, usually as class packs that you can borrow to help add to your visit. The cameras contain all the software you'll need, but teachers need to bring along a laptop to download all the videos from their visit which can then be edited back in the classroom and shown on IWBs. Some sites have their own resources about using the flipcams, with ideas for how to use them, such as Whitby.
Where?
Available at Wrest Park, Belsay, Dover, Down, Eltham, Kenwood and Whitby. Coming soon to the South West region!
To book the cams as part of your visit contact the Customer Services Education Bookings team.
Digital cameras
We're also making class packs of digital cameras available on some sites so that students can capture their own favourite, most inspirational or scary parts of our sites (or whatever else they choose!) and then use the images back in the classroom for follow-up work.
Where?
Available at Dover, Wrest Park, Kenwood, Down and Eltham and in the South West region.
To book the cameras as part of your visit contact the Customer Services Education Bookings team.
