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Currently there is a global drive among political and educational institutions to implement geographic information system (GIS) practice in secondary schools. However, Geography teachers worldwide, including in South Africa, face significant practical challenges in this regard. Lack of curriculum aligned GIS resources, funds and teacher GIS pedagogical knowledge have been documented as key GIS practice integration challenges. Evidently, GIS development and GIS curriculum incorporation have outpaced GIS educational research. This article documents the development and tentative assessment of a GIS plug-and-play tutor application in South Africa. The Interactive GIS Tutor (IGIST) aims to create a gateway towards GIS practice, so that learning can move from textbook-oriented learning to exploring the globe through GIS software, procedures and applications. Results found within this case study indicate that IGIST is a feasible option, and fosters a positive GIS attitude among learners and teachers. Future IGIST recommendations include multiple languages and more exploratory activities.

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert