What
are the implications for teaching and learning?
The
postings and comments on the geocaching websites and forums
suggest that many geocachers are actively participating in
informal learning activities, both through their
interaction with their physical context, and through their
social interactions with each other. As more mobile devices
come on the market with embedded GPS functionality, the
potential for its use in teaching and learning is
expanding, and the geocaching activities may offer some
useful models for ways in which this potential could be
developed.
The strength of the geocaching community is an interesting
phenomenon. Formal learning communities created by
institutions can wither through lack of use, with the
students choosing to maintain their social networks through
other media. However, the informal community of geocachers
is dynamic and active. The enthusiasm is evident even from
relative newcomers to the sport. An analysis of the factors
that sustain this community might provide useful guidelines
that could help the creation of effective formal learning
communities, particularly for learners who are
geographically disparate, such as distance learners.
GPS is already used by earthscience departments. For
example, the status of active volcanoes is monitored by
using GPS to plot the change in land level as the magma
chamber fills. However, the treasure hunt and
puzzle-solving approaches of geocaching and earthcaching
could also be used to help engage students with other
location-related learning in geography, history,
archaeology.
It is not always possible to go out and geocache,
especially with a class of young children. However, one
elementary school in the USA has demonstrated how
geocaching can support learning without necessarily having
access to a GPS device. They released a travel bug into the wild with the goal
of reaching Alaska in time for the Alaska sled dog race.
The school children avidly tracked the bug’s progress
across America as it was picked up and transported on
its way by geocacher after geocacher.
After two years, the travel-bug arrived at the Alaska sled
dog race, where it completed the race attached to the neck
of one of the huskies. Meanwhile, over the two-year period
of its voyages, the teachers used the travel bug to engage
the children with a variety of disciplines including
geography, maths and literacy.