Integration Strategy and Practical Path of High School Geography Digital Teaching Resources under the Empowerment Information Technology: An Empirical Reflection Based on Frontline Teaching

Li Xiaoxia  【China】

Abstract

This paper is based on the realistic needs of high school geography under the background of new curriculum reform, and aims at the problems of "fragmented stacking" and "disconnection with teaching links" in the application of digital resources. It proposes "three-dimensional resource integration model" and a "dual-circulation teaching application framework". Through three years of teaching practice verification, it is proved that the model can significantly the efficiency of regional cognitive literacy training and promote the transformation of classroom teaching from "technological display" to "literacy infiltration". The research results provide a feasible path for implementation of digital resources for frontline teachers.

Keywords: High School Geography; Digital Resources; Integration Strategy; Teaching Closed Loop; Literacy Training

1.Teaching Dilemmas in Digital Transformation

At present, there are three major contradictions in the digitalization of geography teaching:

The contradiction between the richness of resources the applicability of teaching.

With the rapid development of information technology, the digital resources of geography teaching have shown an explosive growth, and various GIS (Geographic Information System) database high-resolution satellite image platform, virtual reality (VR) geographic scene, online geographic experiment simulation system and other resources emerge in endlessly, which provides unprecedented material support for geography teaching However, behind the explosive growth of resource quantity, teachers face severe challenges in screening in actual teaching. According to relevant research data, the time spent by teachers in the process of lesson for screening and integrating digital resources accounts for more than 53%, which greatly consumes the time that could be used for teaching design and student analysis. More prominent is the problem of the matching degree between these massive resources and the teaching objectives and knowledge points distribution of each module of the current textbooks is generally insufficient, about 60% of digital are difficult to be directly applied to classroom teaching because of the lack of pertinence, resulting in the coexistence of "resource surplus" and "insufficient effective use".The contradiction between the advancement of technology and the effectiveness of classroom teaching.

Against the background of the state's strong promotion of educational informatization, the hardware facilities of primary secondary schools have been significantly improved, and the penetration rate of multimedia classrooms, interactive whiteboards, computers and other equipment has reached 82%[5]. However, the of hardware facilities has not been fully transformed into the improvement of teaching effect. In actual classroom teaching, the application of digital technology by teachers still stays at a relatively basic level, the main way is to play static geographic pictures, maps or simple video clips through PPT, which accounts for as high as 76%, and fails to give full play the advantages of the interaction and dynamics of digital technology. The utilization rate of interactive digital tools that can promote students' active participation and in-depth exploration, such as geographic information query, online collaborative drawing platform, real-time data collection and analysis software, is less than 15% in the classroom, resulting in a sharp contrast between advanced digital technology and classroom practice, and failing to effectively support the cultivation of core literacy of geography subject.

The Disconnect between the Demand for Cultivating Digital Literacy and the Evaluation System.

The "Ord High School Geography Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition, Revised in 2020)" clearly states that students should be equipped with the ability to "solve problems using geographic information technology," and it considers geographic information technology literacy as an important part of the core literacy of the geography discipline. However, in the current evaluation system, paper-based tests still dominate, accounting for as much as 91%[6]. This type of evaluation method mainly focuses on the examination of students' memorization of knowledge and mastery of basic skills, making it difficult to effectively assess students' practical ability to use digital technology for the acquisition, processing, analysis, and application of geographical information. The of vague evaluation criteria, complex operational procedures, and inadequate feedback mechanisms for digital practice capability have led to a serious disconnect between the new curriculum standards' requirements for cultivating geographic information literacy and the existing evaluation system, which is not conducive to guiding students to truly improve their digital learning ability and their ability to solve actual geographical problems.

Core Demands Frontline Teachers: There is an urgent need to establish a "teaching-oriented, operationally cost-effective, and effectively evaluated" localization solution. Faced with the abovemmas, the majority of frontline geography teachers generally feel confused and pressured. They urgently need a localization solution that closely integrates the actual needs of geography teaching, clearly guides the of teaching practice, is simple and easy to operate on the operational level, and has a cost that can be tolerated, while also providing effective evaluation support for students' digital practice. Such a solution should help teachers efficiently screen and utilize digital resources, enhance the effectiveness of the application of digital technology in the classroom, and promote the evaluation system to shift towards a emphasis on students' core literacy and practical abilities, thus truly achieving the digital transformation and innovative development of geography teaching.

2. Innovative Integration Strategy: A Three-dimensional Resource Model

Proposing a "Demand-Function" two-dimensional resource integration framework:

A[Basic-type Resources] --> A1(Electronic Atlasary to Textbooks)  

A --> A2(Dynamic Contour Generator)  

B[Dynamic-type Resources] --> B1(-time Weather Satellite Cloud Map)  

B --> B2(Population Migration Big Data Platform)  

C[Problem-type Resources] --> C1(Urban Heat Island Case Base)  

C --> C2(River Basin Governance Decision Simulation)  

Key Implementation Points:

Struct Reorganization of Basic-type Resources

Example: Deep integration of static images, text descriptions, and other basic-type resources about "geological structure schematic diagrams" from different versions textbooks, and use GIS (Geographic Information System) technology to digitize and reconstruct them into GIS files that can be layered and superimposed. This file contains multiple layers such as rock layer distribution layer, fault location layer, landform morphology layer, etc. During teaching, teachers can display or hide each layer through the operation interface step by step, students can clearly observe the inclination direction and thickness change of rock layers, the strike and displacement magnitude of faults, and how these geological structures work together to form mountains, valleys, other landform shapes, thus intuitively understanding the complex geological causes.

Dynamic resource binding with real-time relevance

Example: When teaching the "Typhoon Disaster chapter, the teacher can synchronously call the real-time typhoon path map dynamic resource released by the Central Meteorological Observatory, which updates the typhoon center position moving speed, and intensity change data hourly. Students can observe the real-time evolution of the typhoon path, combined with the knowledge of pressure belts and wind belts learned in classroom, guide students to analyze the correlation between the direction of typhoon movement and the position of the subtropical high, for example, when the subtropical high is strong and in the north, the typhoon often moves northwest, and then discuss the secondary disasters such as torrential rain and storm surge that it may bring and defense measures.

-type resource contextual embedding

Develop a problem-type resource "Shanghai Urban Expansion 1980-2020" time and space sandbox, which multi-dimensional time and space data such as land use types, population density, and transportation networks in Shanghai in 1980, 1990, 200, 2010, and 2020. Students can switch the urban appearance of different years through the layer comparison tool in the sandbox, observe the of transformation from the natural landscape dominated by farmland and water systems to the modern metropolis with tall buildings and crisscross roads. In this process, guide students to think and the core driving mechanism of Shanghai's urbanization development, such as policy guidance (such as the development and opening up of Pudong), economic development (such as the of financial and trade industries), and population migration (a large number of migrant workers pouring in), and other factors, how they interact with each other, and promote the evolution the urban spatial structure.

3. Innovative teaching practice: Dual-loop application framework

Construct a closed system of "resource integration → classroom implementation → evaluation feedback":

[Pre-class resource package] --> E[Classroom four-stage teaching]

E --> F[Post-class digital portfolio] F -->|Data analysis| D

Classroom four-stage model

 E1(Situation introduction) --> E2(Layerconstruction)

 E2 --> E3(Decision simulation)

 E3 --> E4(Transfer application)

Typical lesson - Innovation teaching of "Urbanization" in People's Education Edition

Pre-learning: Distribute the "Shenzhen 1980 vs 220 remote sensing comparison package", mark the urban spatial form change characteristics, including the expansion of urban built-up area, the increase of road network density, and the evolution functional zoning, and guide students to understand the dynamic adjustment process of the spatial structure in the urbanization process through comparative analysis.

Classroom deepening: Use the population heat map-in to visualize the population migration trajectory of the urban village transformation, superimpose the population density distribution map layer of different time periods to intuitively show the agglomeration dispersion changes of the population in space before and after the transformation, and analyze its impact on urban transportation and public service facilities; group operation land rent simulator, verify the impact of factors on commercial layout, students adjust the traffic accessibility, distance from the city center, land rent level and other parameters, and observe the spatial distribution rules of different functional zones such as centers, retail outlets, and industrial zones, and deepen the understanding of the "Central Place Theory" and "Location Choice" principles.

Quality Evaluation: "Using the open data platform of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development to compile a 'New City Development Suggestions Proposal' for hometowns," students are required to combine regional natural conditions (such as topography, climate, and water resources), socio-economic status ( as existing industrial base, population distribution, and transportation networks), and ecological and environmental carrying capacity to conduct spatial analysis using geographic information technology, propose scientifically reasonable site selection plans, and a proposal that includes data support, spatial analysis processes, and planning rationality arguments.

Evaluation Dimensions: Spatial Analysis Ability (40%)  Data Support (3%) Planning Rationality (30%). Spatial analysis ability assesses students' use of geographic information tools and their ability to interpret spatial relationships. Data support evaluates' ability to acquire, process, and apply open data. Planning rationality is a comprehensive assessment of the quality of the plan from the perspectives of economic feasibility, social benefits, environmental sustainability.

Practical Results: The experimental class saw a 27.3% increase in the pass rate in the "Geographic Information Conversion Ability" test far exceeding the 9.1% of the control class, indicating that this innovative teaching model effectively enhanced students' ability to convert geographic information data into decision-making basis and promoted implementation and development of core competencies.

4. Practical Suggestions for Frontline Teachers

(1) Low-Cost Path for Resource Ac

(2) Guidelines for Avoiding Technological Pitfalls

Principle of Necessity: the presentation of teaching content, the principle of necessity for technical means to serve teaching goals should be strictly followed. For example, when explaining the abstract concept of "geological structure, it is preferable to choose rotatable and disassemblable 3D rock layer model teaching aids, which help students understand the formation process of geological phenomena such as folds faults through intuitive visual and tactile experiences, rather than directly introducing geological modeling software that requires complex parameter settings and professional operation skills. Although the latter is powerful, it may di students' attention from core knowledge points due to its high operational threshold, which violates the essence of teaching tools as auxiliary teaching.

Progressive Iteration: The development and application of resources should follow the principle of progressive iteration, constructing a complete system from basic units. Specifically, it is possible to first develop small-scale digital resource packages for single-class teaching, such as a comprehensive data package designed around "the hydrological characteristics of the Yellow River," which includes real-time water level data, historical flow curves, and waters topographic maps, to help students analyze hydrological phenomena in specific contexts. On this basis, resources from multiple class periods and chapters can be gradually integrated, ultimately forming a systematic resource covering the entire unit theme, ensuring that students can achieve in-depth construction and transfer of knowledge through a coherent resource learning.

Lightweight on the Student Side: All selected teaching and digital resources must meet the lightweight requirements of the student side devices, ensuring they can run smoothly on the standard equipment in school computer classrooms (such as lower-configuration desktops,, or tablets). This includes controlling the size of the software installation package, optimizing the memory occupied during program operation, and reducing reliance on high-end hardware configurations. For, when developing geographic information visualization tools, it is preferable to use lightweight applications based on web browsers rather than software that requires the installation of large clients locally, to avoid students being unable use the tools normally due to differences in device performance, thus affecting the smooth development of teaching activities.

5. Reflection and Prospect

The current model still faces regional digital dividesinsufficient bandwidth in rural schools) and the problem of a digital literacy gap among teachers. Subsequent research will explore:

Offline digital resource packages (such as portable USB with geographical databases).

Establishing an inter-school resource sharing alliance mechanism

As geographer Chen Chen said: "Digitalization is not about replacing geographical thinking, but letting thinking take root and grow in real situations."

References

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[3 Ministry of Education. General High School Geography Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition 2020 Revision) [S]. Beijing: People's Education.

[4] Wang Jianjun. Analysis of the Bottlenecks in the Application of Geographical Digital Resources [J]. Reference for Middle School Geography Teaching,2022(8): 15-18.

[5] Zhang Hua. Hierarchical Application of GIS Technology in Geography Teaching [J. Geography Education, 2021(S2): 112-115.

[6] Li Peiying. Practice of Geographical Digital Based on Core Literacies [J]. Basic Education Curriculum, 2023(3): 62-66