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February 2nd: World Wetlands Day: Dominic Carmichael at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Wales Centre used their new World MaxiMap to help teach children from Bryn Primary School Llanelli about wetlands and forests, and about the plight of the White Winged Duck – there are only about 1000 left in the world and their rainforest habitat is fast disappearing. www.wwt.org.uk

learning on the map...

WWT Llanelli volunteer trying to demonstrate what hard work it is for Greenland white-fronted geese to make it all the way to the UK each winter!

Learning Managers from WWT centres in Washington (Tyne and Wear), Arundel, Llanelli and Caerlaverock (Scotland).

From Dominic Carmichael of WWT Wales Centre…

The World floor map was a great success with the learning team at our meeting in Slimbridge; they all wanted to buy one. The impact of seeing the map first hand was immediate and striking. In fact there was talk of buying several from central funds.We talked (as in this picture) about the way we used the map during the half term activities in Llanelli and how we might use it for activities during “World Wetlands Day” 2011 – which will be on the theme of wetlands and forests. The joy of the map is to be able to talk world wide and then spin in to a local picture too without so much as the press of a button. Yes you can do it on Google earth but this is more immediate, I’d say – and because it is not IT based it has a novelty value too.

Over the half term holiday, Dominic Carmichael (Learning Manager) at the WWT National Wetland Centre Wales has been making great use of the World MaxiMap to teach children of all ages about bird migration. He has a small wall map and other information on display, but says that the MaxiMap floor map has helped enormously – given the scale of the floor map and the fact that the visitors can walk over it, they can far better appreciate and wonder at the distances and routes that the migrating birds must travel.
He said also that the map has proved popular with the older generation who’ve been prompted to recount their world travels and adventures!

http://www.wwt.org.uk/

Dominic Carmichael at WWT

Two Firsts:

TeachMeet Pembrokeshire (17th August) was the very first TeachMeet in Wales, and the very first time MaxiMap has attended and sponsored a TeachMeet. For those not in the know, TeachMeets are amazing get-togethers organised by enthusiastic teachers for other enthusiastic teachers and are happening all around the UK. A clear indication of job dedication is shown by the fact that all TeachMeet events are orgainsed, and take place, in the teachers’ free time.

TeachMeet Pembrokeshire was expertly organised and hosted by Bev Evans, a teacher at the Pembroke Dock Community School where the event took place and teachers came from far and wide (Manchester and beyond!) There are a variety of 7 minute, 4 minute and 2 minute presentations by the attendees, selected at random by an electronic one-arm bandit. So as well as goodie bags, good nosh and a chance to socialise, the teachers get to share exciting and innovative ideas with one another. The events are steamed live – and TeachMeet Pembrokeshire got 125 unique visitors during the day, many of whom tweeted comments which were shown on-screen.
So a very big MaxiMap thanks to Bev and the staff at www.pembrokedockschool.org.uk.

We listened…

We’ve taken MaxiMap to many events over the last few months, talking to a very wide variety of teaching and other educational professionals.

On the whole we’ve been overwhelmed with positive responses and suggestions. One of the most often asked questions has been “can you do a World floor map with political boundaries?” Well…computer says “Yes” – or rather our wondrous cartographer Nick Rowlands says “yes” and has come up trumps again. It’s now ready to go and will run alongside the original (unpolitical) World floor map.

World floor map now available with political boundaries

…they learned

The pupils of the De Lucy Primary School, Abbey Wood, London were asked by assistant head teacher Carla Ferla to evaluate a series of lessons on the British Isles floor map…

Sarthak “It was really useful for maths and geography. It’s soft (and not to heavy) and also comfortable. The compass direction made it all better because it teaches you your direction. It’s also brain crazy fun, you have to guess where the countries and citys are. For kids it’s interactive and they’ll find it fun just like me”

Wesley “I really like this activity because we were being very interactive and this activity helps me improve with my maths and geography and I think every school should have this because this map makes learning interesting and fun.”

We’re taking them on as sales reps sometime soon!

Pupils at De Lucy Primary School, Abbey Wood, London