How to teach GPS and have fun while doing it How to teach GPS and have fun while doing it! Keeping students engaged and accountable Leslie Hoskins, COMS Margaret Winn, COMS

Objectives: Integrating GPS into O&M Ideas to make GPS fun Ideas to keep students engaged and accountable Ideas to incorporate interns or volunteers

Integrating GPS into O&M Familiarization to the device Listening Button pushing Segment Identification Creating points of interest Routes to personal POI’s Routes to addresses Open area travel Mystery lesson/Scavenger hunt

Familiarization to GPS Hardware Software Problem solving/reset Who uses GPS currently? Does anyone use GPS to give their parents or friends directions? Partner up and help each other locate buttons. Candy or reward to those that participate answering questions.

Picture description: picture of Trekker Breeze+

Listening Discuss the use of headphones Appropriate times to tune out the GPS What information does the GPS provide when not pushing any buttons? Clarify language GPS as a secondary device

  Picture description: students crossing street with canes and GPS devices

Button pushing Key describer mode Where am I? When to push buttons? When not to push buttons? Previewing a route

Segment Identification GPS turned off Students off the bus Establish GPS reception Identify parallel street Identify two nearest intersections Students cannot get back on the bus until they can correctly identify their location Why is this an important task?

Picture description: map of downtown Rochester with arrows representing segment IDs

Creating Points of Interest Make first landmark at the main building Drive around making 5 to 10 landmarks Have students create their own landmarks as a group Chewbacca’s house Harry Potter’s apartment Everyone create a landmark at the same time Bus does not move until all students have created the landmark

Picture description: map of downtown Rochester with POIs labeled A-E

Routes to Points of Interest How to create a route to a landmark? How many landmarks do we have? How do we know which direction to travel first? One at a time to be sure everyone has the correct directions. Randomly call on students to provide next instruction. Make wrong turns, get “lost”, what do we do now?

Routes to addresses This can be a very tedious process Try breaking up into smaller groups Discuss which buttons represent which letters Fun locations with a purpose Ice cream Slushies Bus does not move until all students have the address programed Students provide the directions

Open Area Travel As the crow flies College campus Create landmarks Travel to and from landmarks using clock face directions Independent exercise or in groups of two Realistic routes

Picture description: Oakland University court yard

Scavenger Hunt Competitive Teamwork Clues Mystery landmarks Fish theme activities Interns develop scavenger hunt

Extra Activities Trivia Night True/False. The GPS will tell you when it is safe to cross a street. True or False  A GPS device is used to aid in directional travel, and should not be a replacement for cane or guide dog. What does it mean when the Trekker says; you will be guided as the crow flies? How do you make a landmark on the Trekker? How does the GPS know where you are located? What does GPS stand for? When is it not appropriate to use a GPS while traveling on a route? How many maps does each SD card hold? How do you create a route to a landmark using the Trekker Breeze?  What company makes the Trekker Breeze? How many buttons does the Trekker Breeze have? Trivia Night Open Area-Bear Lake, fishing, and tandem biking GPS check on final day Send the manual to all students in accessible formats

Questions? What are ways in which you have had success keeping students engaged and having fun?

Leslie Hoskins, COMS leslie.hoskins@leaderdog.org Margaret Winn, COMS margaret.winn@leaderdog.org