Does using GIS motivate and result in children becoming active learners?
Evidence from the Kent Schools InfoMapper Phase II project supports the view that the effective use of GIS motivates and encourages children to become more active learners as it provides opportunities for children to:
| Become effective enquirers Pupils used InfoMapper to research and find out how children in other schools had improved their school grounds to attract wildlife. |  |
 | Process Information Children used InfoMapper to contrast the climate (rainfall and temperature) of Kent to that of St Lucia . |
| Think creatively Children creatively used Digital Video to publish and share ideas with others. |  |
 | Problem Solving Travelling to School Children used information gathered to design traffic calming features |
| Empathy Contrasting a rural and urban location The children at Bodsham and Kennington Interviewed each other about where each lived. |
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 | Reasoning The children at Ham Street viewed maps and aerial photographs before deciding where to situate a new pond at The Rare Breeds Centre. |
| Communication To participate in "joint school projects" many children used audio conferencing and e-mail to ask questions and share ideas. |  |
 | Social Skills To gather information children worked together on a range of tasks including interviewing members of the public about how they travelled to work. |
| Evaluation To accurately evaluate their work children invited Road Safety and Environment Officers to visit their school |  |