Use digital maps in Classrooms: Expert

Using digital maps, such as Google Map in classrooms, can help students comprehend, visualize and write better, according to an American expert.

University of North Florida College of Education and Human Services Professor Dr.Terrance Cavanaugh, said digital maps are ideal to help students understand literature.

He was in Bahrain last week to train teachers on how to implement technology in classrooms.

“When you read a book, you visualize its locations. An average student probably hasn't been anywhere, so a map helps them in the visualization. When the book takes them to a jungle, the map shows them what the jungle looks like,” he added.

He described how he used this technology to teach his students Lee Child's novels on Jack Reacher.“Jack Reacher walks along a road where he can see  nothing but corn. Children may not be able to imagine that, and the map comes to the rescue.”

He added, “We have a 7-mile long bridge in Florida but the students have never been there. On the map, they can drop themselves there, and see everything about the bridge. This makes the children think more and have a better understanding of the location.”