The final digital text I am reviewing is a PDF version of the Year 8 Geography Alive textbook. This textbook is written for the Australian Curriculum so can be used within Australia, regardless of location. This textbook covers the following areas:
- Unit 1: Landforms and Landscapes
- Chapter 1: Introducing landforms and landscapes
- Chapter 2: Landscapes formed by water
- Chapter 3: Desert Landscapes
- Chapter 4: Mountain Landscapes
- Chapter 5: Rainforest Landscapes
- Unit 2: Changing Nations
- Chapter 6: Urbanisation
- Chapter 7: The rise and rise of urban settlements
- Chapter 8: Planning Australia’s urban future
Each unit has an inquiry project at the end of it and that brings all the individual chapters together in one cohesive assignment; and has a glossary and index at the end. The PDF textbook is in full colour and is able to be printed in either colour or black and white, depending on individual needs. The PDF document could be shared within school software (DayMap, ClassDojo etc) and well as being stored on a communal drive for easy access for temporary relief teachers. As this is a PDF document, there is no ability to enter student responses on it however text can be highlighted and comments made in a side bar of the document. This is limiting factor of the Adobe PDF document program rather than a limit of the PDF textbook.
The ‘how to use the textbook’ section does mention that there is the ability to link to the myWorld Atlas as well as ProjectsPLUS, however, when I attempted to use these functions, they would not work. I am presuming that this is due to the PDF nature of the textbook rather than working within an online version of the textbook with full capabilities. The PDF textbook does give the teacher and class a good starting point, regardless of whether it has the online aspects or not. Teachers are able to base formative or homework assessment off the tasks outlined within the PDF textbook and this can be of benefit for early career teachers or those teaching the subject for the first time.
I would recommend that Teacher Librarians organise for this particular textbook as well as others within the series to be purchased and available for all teachers to access. Having looked at the website that purchases would be made, it is not unreasonable to presume that bulk orders could be made for the school use as well as a mix of e-book and physical books within the order.
As a teacher with no Geography experience, bar what I have seen on practicums, this is a really great resource for gaining an understanding of what can be – and should be – taught within the classroom as well as a more in-depth at the sections individually. As it is tailored to the Australian Curriculum, any teacher can use it which I think is a really great design by the editors as it allows the textbook to be moved freely without restraint.
This text can be purchased from https://www.jacaranda.com.au/ in both the e-book and the physical book form; as well as other books in the Geography for the Australian Curriculum series. Overall, I would use PDF’s or e-books within my professional life but on a personal level, I think I will stick to paperback!
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Mraz, J., Bedson, C., Westhorpe, C., McMeekin, T., Gibson, K., & Dempster, A. et al. (2013). Geography alive 8 for the Australian curriculum (1st ed.). Brisbane, Queensland: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.