Uzaktan algılamanın bilimde, endüstride, kamuda artanönem ve kullanımının yanısıracoğrafya ulusal eğitim standartları ve okul müfredatına da dâhil edilmesi önemlidir. Uydular yüksek spektral ve mekânsalçözünürlük ile geniş sahaları kapsayan aralıksız veri imkanısağlamaktadır. Buna ilave olarak uzaktan algılama metodolojisi, eğitimde büyük bir yardımcı elemanolma potansiyeline sahiptir. Bu potansiyel, okul pratiğine ya hiç yansımamış ya da yetersiz bir şekilde dağılmıştır. Betimsel tarama yönteminin kullanıldığı bu çalışmada, uzaktan algılamanın ortaöğretim coğrafya derslerinde kullanımı için modern didaktik bir yaklaşımı ve bazı pratik uygulama örneklerini incelemektedir. Makale, uzaktan algılamanın okulda kullanılmasına yönelik didaktik bir anlayışa zemin olarak okullarda uydu görüntülerinin kullanımı ile ilgili uluslararası karşılaştırmalı bir çalışma ile başlar. Ayrıca, bu teorik modelin uygulanmasına dair farklı okul türlerinden ve sınıf düzeylerinden örnekler de gösterilmiştir. Ortaöğretim için, uzaktan algılamanın temel işlevselliği ile ilgili etkileşimli öğrenme oyunları geliştirilmektedir. Bundan başka, hem ortaokul hem de lise kademeleri yanında yaygın eğitim için de, küresel değişiklik ve kentleşme gibi konularda uzaktan algılama araçlarının oluşturulması devam etmektedir. Başka bir örnek de, uydu görüntülerinin okulda analizi için web-tabanlı yazılımların geliştirilmesidir. Uzaktan algılamanın eğitimde kullanılması ile ilgili bu örnekler, uzaktan algılamanın modern bir gereç ve coğrafya öğretim aracı olarak problem-ve eylem-odaklı kullanımı ile ilgili olanakları örneklerle kanıtlamaktadır. Söz konusu uygulamaların Türkiye ortaöğretim kurumlarında (coğrafya dersleri özelinde) hayata geçirilmesi, öğrencilerin farklı becerilerini geliştirebilecek, küresel sosyo-kültürel entegrasyon ve sürdürülebilir ülke kalkınması açısından önemli bir rol oynayabilecektir

Remote sensing enables temporal changes of land cover/use and analysis of wetlands etc., depending on natural phenomena and human activities, to observe, research in a broad band, and to determine safely by digital dataand provides great conveniences.Because of significance and existance of remote sensing in science, industry, and public, the use of satellite imaging is beingspread in our day or is also being included into national educational standards of geography and the school curricula.Besides its high-definition and timing, remote sensing data have a great educational potential. This is either has never reflected on the school practice or is spread insufficiently into it. There are very few studies on the use of remote sensing in geography lessons for secondary (middle school) education in Turkey. In the current studies, remote sensing has been addressed under the heading ‘‘Geographical Information Systems (GISs).’’The fact that the said studies had not discussed remote sensing had an impact on emerging such a study.In this study where descriptive survey method was used, we, mainly, sought answers to questions ‘‘why should digital remote sensing data be used in class?’’ and ‘‘what are practical implementation examples within the scope of theoretical framework of the use of remote sensing in geography lessons?’’ This article examines a contemporary didactical approach and some practical implementationexamples, for the use of remote sensing in geography lessons for secondary (middle school) education. It begins with acomparison questioning the use of remote sensing in schools in developed and developing countries. Within the scope of theoretical framework for the use of remote sensing in geography lessons for secondary education, interactive learning implementations, games, suitable for different age levels, and web-based softwares for analysis of satellite sets are being developed. The mentioned remote sensing implementations are being developed for formaleducation as well as large masses of people who are closely interestedin environmental problems and spatial chances. In general, goal of the use of remote sensing data in geography education is to promote for the lowerand uppersecondary level-students’ active participation into non-sustainable environmental change and therefore to increase their interest on problems concerning environmental protection. The use of satellite data improves students’ motivation of being interested in environmental issues. Satellitedata are very useful, because, visualization of a geographical matter on a satellite image allows for a better understanding of the mapped spatial progresses and conditions. Students learn not only how to deal within these remote sensing data, but also ‘‘how to read’’ the context for geo-spatial information of these data. Within the scope of LMS (Learning Management System), students can improve their skills to be able to analysis information on spatial and temporal progresses, and developments which happen in the relevant regions on satellite images.‘‘Glokal Change (Evaluating global environmental changes locally)’’ is a web-based learning system which can be used in the curricula as well as extra-curricular environmental education, for the lower secondary (middle school) level-students. This learning management system (LMS) is related to environmental science and geography lessons in terms of contexts. Methodical and didactical approaches being used in these lessons, particularly within geography, are being applied as an educational softwarewithin the scope of LMS. The said learning management system attaches importance to and scrutinises human and economic activities, which lead to conflict of different interest groups, such as management of alternative energy sources, extracting fossil fuels, development of rural areas, and destruction (deforestation) of forest areas for biofuel and grazing etc. In other words, the project ‘‘Glokal Change’’ has a genuinesituation since it questions relationships between human activities and natural environment, and discusses their impacts on large masses of people, within the framework of analysis of remote sensing softwares and satellite images. In addition to these, the project ‘‘Blickpunkt Fernerkundung (BLIF)” developed for virtual platforms has a potential that would provide the use of remote sensing more intensively and regularlyin geography lessons. BLIF consists of three main parts. These are: the chosen satellite image area, menu bar and the framed content elements. The project ‘‘BLIF’’ has a flexible structure and presents potential that could also make interaction between different disciplines and themes possible. The mentioned project contains various activities by paying attention to students’ different readiness levels and to the fact that they have different types of intelligence, and can be also used for the interaction with other teaching aids. The project ‘‘BLIF’’ appeals to students’ intuitive intelligence and promotes their creativity. There are three levels (beginners, advanced students and professionals) in this project. Completing the said levels successfully, students learn how to use remote sensing softwares and how to process satellite images. The use of remote sensing in geography lessons for middle school (lower secondary) education should not contain the analysis of satellite images and data sets of remote sensing, only. These implementations should become regular and should be generalised in all schools. There are various methods to use remote sensing in geography lessons depending on students’ readiness level and their age-group. In on-going projects in Western Europe, particularly in Germany, remote sensing is being utilized as a teaching aid such as a wall map or a model globe etc. However, remote sensing has a range of use quite beyond traditional teaching aids. As a matter of fact, it requires tens of maps be superimposed, drawing be made by hand, and plenty of time be allocated in order to be able to prepare land use map of any area. In spite of this, a land use map which is more realistic and of which quality is high can be obtained superimposing tens of layers in a shorter time, by using modern remote sensing techniques and softwares. Via the easy-to-use remote sensing softwares, it is possible for students to perform implementations (for example, for students to be able to determine ‘‘areas that should become forest area’’)on the said land use map. These implementations would be able to contribute to raising conscious individuals in country development and planning. There are a great variety of situations where working by this software is useful in geogr aphy lessons for middle school (lower secondary) education. Remote sensing can be also used effectively in ecology, mathematics, and in implementations in physical sciences beyond geographical perspective. In this context, it is quite useful in planning-development works which pursue protection-use balance with reference to sustainable development, and for themes in researches for land cover change. The use of remote sensing in geography lessons by students would be able to contribute for students to learn genuinely, and able to help them increase their trusts in themselves by solving any problem (e.g.,in a project questioning environmental problems in Izmir city, their reasons and impacts). Such a situation would be able to motivate the student for future researches. Actualization of the said implementationsin Turkish secondary education institutions (specific to geography lessons) would be able to play a significant role in global socio-cultural integration and sustainable country development. In this context, it is necessary that quality and quantity of practical implementations which will be prepared by different remote sensing techniques be increased. Providing support of the required hardware, software and personnel will be a pertinent attempt, by collaborating with institutions (such as ESRI) which are experts in remote sensing so that the mentioned implementations may extend to high schools or even to the lower secondary (middle) schools across the country. In addition to these, within the scope of both undergraduate education and in-service training activities, it will be suitable that a lesson titled ‘‘The Use of Remote Sensing in Geography Education’’ is taught by academicians who are competent in the said field. These examples concerning the use of remote sensing in education prove (with instances) possibilities of the problem- and action-centered use of remote sensing as a modern method and a teaching aid of geography. Actualization of the said implementationsin Turkish secondary education institutions (specific to geography lessons) would be able to improve students’ different skills, and to have a significant role in global socio-cultural integration and sustainable country development.