The ways technology is changing a school subject discussed at the Geography Teachers Forum at the National Centre RUSSIA

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Schoolchildren become accustomed to maps on their phones faster than to maps in an atlas, while the volume of data about the planet changes before textbooks can be updated. Participants in the session "From Satellite Images to School Quests: How Advanced Technologies Are Transforming Geography Lessons", held at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the Forum of Geography Teachers and Students of Specialised Universities, discussed how to connect this digital world with geography lessons and make satellite images, AI and GIS part of everyday school practice.

Sergei Barinov, Head of the Laboratory of Modern School Geography and Local Studies at the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technologies of HSE University and Candidate of Geographical Sciences, spoke about how geographical science has changed in recent decades. 

"Our ability to explore space has changed radically. The number of satellites, the frequency of imaging and the quality of data mean that hourly imagery with a resolution of up to 30 centimetres has become the minimum standard of modern geography. This is literally changing geographers’ way of life and the nature of research," the expert noted.

Sergei Barinov emphasised that the school geography curriculum can and should show pupils the connection between maps, data and real management decisions made at municipal, regional and national levels: "We are living at the beginning of a golden age of geography. We can obtain a real-time model of an area and show schoolchildren in class what is happening around their homes right now. To take advantage of this, we need the number of young people choosing geography to increase severalfold — over the next decade, geographers will be indispensable." 

Continuing the discussion of the digital shift, Mikhail Krinitsky, Head of the Laboratory of Machine Learning in Earth Sciences at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technologies of HSE University and Senior Researcher at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented a report on the different aspects of artificial intelligence in Earth sciences. He demonstrated how AI is already being used to process satellite images, monitor changes in landscapes, forecast hazardous natural phenomena and analyse scientific texts.

"Earth sciences today are primarily data sciences. The volume of satellite and model data is growing so rapidly that it is simply impossible to process without artificial intelligence. The task of schools is not to teach specific algorithms, but to show young people the path from raw satellite images to clear maps and visualisations that help people make decisions in the real world," Mikhail Krinitsky explained. 

Yelena Natarova, Marketing Director of TerraTech JSC, a subsidiary of the Roscosmos State Corporation, presented the practical applications of space technologies. She spoke about the flagship Digital Earth platform, which transforms remote sensing data and the results produced by neural networks into ready-to-use geoanalytics for government agencies and regions. It can be used both for territorial management and in schoolchildren’s educational projects.

Sergei Kutuzov, Head of the GeoSchool project, teaching methodology specialist and geography teacher, presented the possibilities of using GIS services in lessons. He noted that despite sustained interest in geoinformation technologies within the professional community, they are still used in practice by a relatively small group of enthusiasts.

"Nine out of ten geography teachers acknowledge that geoinformation technologies are interesting and useful, but only a few actually use them in school practice. Our approach is to offer a simple, intuitive tool and ready-made content: dozens of thematic maps covering the geography of Russia, different levels of detail and ready-to-use demonstration scenarios. This makes it possible to incorporate GIS not only into individual lessons but also into pupils’ project and research activities," Sergei Kutuzov noted.

According to Sergei Kutuzov, the GeoSchool platform is built on a professional web-based GIS but has been adapted for users without specialist training, including teachers and pupils. It also supports open participation in school trials.

The session was moderated by Nikolai Kurichev, Dean of the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technologies at HSE University.

The Forum of Geography Teachers and Students of Specialised Universities was held at the National Centre RUSSIA on 25 June as one of the key events of the "Geography Lessons" exposition. More than 800 people from all federal districts took part in the forum, including schoolteachers, university lecturers, students, teaching methodology specialists, school heads and representatives of education authorities.