**5.2 Active learning to the rescue?**

Active learning is a departure from the traditional teaching method that is teacher-focused, to student-focused approach. It emphasizes active engagement of the students rather than the traditional passive learning. Students should not be like vessels into which the teachers pour ideas and information. The students need to reflect on given information and understand the underlying concepts. Effective learning is not achieved if students are relegated to the "role of passive 'spectactors' in the college classrooms" (Matmti and Delany, 2011). "Effective learners are active, strategic, thoughtful and constructive in linking new information to prior knowledge" (Lipton & Wellman, 1999). A plethora of research about learning indicated that active learning method improves student engagement, learning and retention and enhances learning experience.

Active learning and its variants, such as problem-based learning, are increasingly adopted in teaching geospatial technologies (Shortis et al., 2000; Meitner et al., 2005; Drennon, 2005; Harvey & Kotting, 2011; Schultz, 2012). ESRI, one of the notable GIS vendors, has also adopted active learning methods in its GIS training courses (Wheeler, 2010). Active learning is being embraced to deal with changing geospatial body of knowledge, stimulate critical thinking, improve student engagement and enhance learning experience. Shortis et al. (2000) were able to transform the teaching and learning of plane survey from the traditional passive method to active learning based on web technology. They got positive feedback from students and staff. Likewise, Harvey and Kotting (2011) presented an active learning model for teaching cartography that enabled students to reflect on the "concepts and

One of the major challenges facing some geomatics and other related departments is low student enrolment. It has been a global issue (Mills et al., 2004; Hannah et al., 2009) and even affects schools in the United Stated (Mohamed et al., 2011) where geospatial market is rapidly expanding (Gewin, 2004). Bennett et al. (2009) in their study on spatial science education in Australia referred to the phenomenon as a "paradox"; there is a steady increase in demand for graduates but no increase in student enrolment. The same trend has been observed in the UK and New Zealand (Hannah et al., 2009), Sub-Saharan Africa (Ruther, 2003) and Saudi Arabia (Aina, 2009). Some of the reasons for low student intake are lack of awareness, weak financial support, misconception that only training is needed not education and being a relatively new field (Mills et al., 2004; AlGarni, 2005; Aina, 2009).

The problem of low student intake is compounded by the fact that geospatial technologies are evolving and schools have to grapple with developing effective method of teaching an ever changing field. In addition, the curriculum has to be designed in a way that will inculcate self-learning in the students to prepare them for self-directed continuous learning after graduation. So, the challenge is not only about student enrolment but also presenting a fulfilling learning experience to the students. Apart from raising public awareness of geomatics, changing the teaching and learning method could help in attracting and retaining students by enhancing their learning experience. There is a "need to identify new paradigms as a basis for developing more resilient and responsive educational programs"

Active learning is a departure from the traditional teaching method that is teacher-focused, to student-focused approach. It emphasizes active engagement of the students rather than the traditional passive learning. Students should not be like vessels into which the teachers pour ideas and information. The students need to reflect on given information and understand the underlying concepts. Effective learning is not achieved if students are relegated to the "role of passive 'spectactors' in the college classrooms" (Matmti and Delany, 2011). "Effective learners are active, strategic, thoughtful and constructive in linking new information to prior knowledge" (Lipton & Wellman, 1999). A plethora of research about learning indicated that active learning method improves student engagement, learning and

Active learning and its variants, such as problem-based learning, are increasingly adopted in teaching geospatial technologies (Shortis et al., 2000; Meitner et al., 2005; Drennon, 2005; Harvey & Kotting, 2011; Schultz, 2012). ESRI, one of the notable GIS vendors, has also adopted active learning methods in its GIS training courses (Wheeler, 2010). Active learning is being embraced to deal with changing geospatial body of knowledge, stimulate critical thinking, improve student engagement and enhance learning experience. Shortis et al. (2000) were able to transform the teaching and learning of plane survey from the traditional passive method to active learning based on web technology. They got positive feedback from students and staff. Likewise, Harvey and Kotting (2011) presented an active learning model for teaching cartography that enabled students to reflect on the "concepts and

**5. Geospatial education at crossroad: Can active learning help?** 

**5.1 The challenge of low student enrolment** 

(Barnes, 2009).

**5.2 Active learning to the rescue?** 

retention and enhances learning experience.

techniques of modern cartography". Meitner et al. (2005) also reported a successful adoption of active learning in teaching GIS. However, they noted that instructors should be cautious of turning student-focused classroom into "free-for-all" chaos or drifting back to teacher-led classroom. It is not all the activities of the students that will necessarily translate to active learning. Even Prince (2004), had raised a cautionary note on reported result since it is difficult to measure whether active learning works. Shortis et al. (2000) also noted this difficulty when they acknowledged that comparison of examination results might be misleading as the capability of different cohorts are different.
