Internet‐Based GIS Mapping in Support of K‐12 Education

Internet‐based mapping provides a powerful alternative for successfully establishing GIS technology in the K‐12 education community, while simultaneously avoiding the traditional barriers associated with desktop GIS. Internet‐based GIS can support standards‐based inquiry methods of teaching and learning while providing basic analysis tools for studying and exploring geographic or scientific data in the classroom.     

Paper-Based GIS: A Practical Answer to the Implementation of GIS Education into Resource-Poor Schools in South Africa

Abstract

Geographical information systems (GIS) were phased into the geography curriculum of South African schools from 2006–2008 as part of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) for grades 10–12. Since its introduction, GIS education in schools across the country has been met with a number of challenges including the cost of purchasing the hardware and software required to elucidate the basic concepts of GIS to learners. This article examines the introduction of GIS education in schools in South Africa. The development and distribution of a paper-based GIS educational package for resource-poor schools in the country is also highlighted. Preliminary educator and learner evaluations of the paper-based GIS package are discussed and the broader learning opportunities and benefits associated with flexible teaching mechanisms are examined.     

The value of teaching about geomorphology in non-traditional settings

Academics usually teach about geomorphology in the classroom, where the audience is enthusiastic, but generally small. Less traditional settings offer opportunities to reach a wider audience, one that is equally enthusiastic, given its love of geomorphic features in the National Parks, but one which has little knowledge of the science behind what they are seeing. I have “taught” geomorphology in four non-traditional settings: at a summer camp, a state wildlife refuge, on community field trips, and at meetings for clubs and government boards. This paper discusses my experiences and offers suggestions to others who may wish to follow this less-traveled educational path.As Head of Nature Programs at Camp Pemigewassett in New Hampshire, I have worked, over the last 33 years, with thousands of campers ranging from 8 to 15 years old. Our setting, in a glaciated valley on a small lake, exhibits a wide range of geomorphic features and offers many opportunities for direct learning through field investigations. I have found that even 8-year olds can do real science, if we avoid the jargon. Once “taught” they carry their knowledge about landforms and processes with them and eagerly share it with their friends and family on outings and trips, thus reaching an even wider public.Parks, wildlife refuges, nature preserves, and other similar areas generally have nature trails, often with educational information about the environment. Generally, interpretive signs are prepared by biologists and the content ignores the site's physical features, as well as the connections between ecological communities and the underlying geology and geomorphology. My students and I have addressed this situation at two places in Connecticut, one a state wildlife management area, also used for training teachers to teach Environmental Education, and the other, a town recreation area. We catalogued the geomorphic features, looked at relationships of the community level ecology to those features, and prepared interpretive signs that added this perspective to the trails. The public response has been extremely favorable.Geomorphology can also be taught by leading field trips for community organizations. I have done this twice, once for the Manchester (NH) Historical Society and once for a small watershed association. The attendance and interest surprised me. We finally had to limit the Manchester trip to one full busload (45) and the watershed trip, which was part of a “trails day,” drew over 90 people.Finally, I have found that organizations such as Sierra Club chapters and town conservation boards are frequently looking for speakers for their periodic meetings. Why not a geomorphologist? After all, much of what conservationists do is related to what geomorphologists do. I have given several of these presentations and the receptions have always been enthusiastic.While the work involved in preparing to teach in one of these non-traditional settings is frequently substantial, the rewards are equally large. It is a way to reach masses of people who know little about the science of geomorphology and to demonstrate its importance to them. Taking our message directly to the public in these settings is an effective way to put geomorphology in the public eye.     

Teaching GIS in Geography*

Although numerous courses in geographic information systems (GIS) have been introduced into the geography curriculum over the past few years, there has been remarkably little debate over the issues involved. This paper first discusses the arguments for geography as an appropriate disciplinary setting for GIS teaching at the undergraduate level. This is followed by a discussion of the nature of GIS courses and their appropriate place in the undergraduate geography curriculum. The final section of the paper describes the NCGIA Core Curriculum project and examines its significance in this broader context.     

Reform of Teacher Education: An Opportunity for Geographers

Abstract

This paper focuses on the context and major efforts designed to reform teacher education in the nation's universities. An overview of systems governing and impacting teacher education is provided, with focus on the issues and conflicting forces that form the context within which teacher education-and geography education—find themselves. The paper concludes with a discussion of general trends in education reform and renewal and leadership opportunities open to geographers.     

A Pedagogic Framework to Link GIS to the Intellectual Core of Geography

Abstract

This paper aims to develop a new pedagogic framework for teaching GIS at the college and university level using Berry's geographic matrix. By synthesizing different schools of thought, this paper argues that GIS education essentially involves two aspects—how to teach about GIS and how to teach with GIS. Berry's geographic matrix can be used to tie these dual aspects of GIS education together neatly. As an abstract representation of geographical phenomena, the geographic matrix embeds all three entities of GIS—location, attribute, time—and thus can help GIS instructors teach about GIS. As a synthesis of geographical approaches, the geographic matrix can assist GIS instructors teach with GIS. This paper demonstrates that GIS is actually an implementation of Berry's geographic matrix. Furthermore, the 10 approaches to geographical analysis, originally proposed by Berry for the geographic matrix, can be executed routinely in a GIS environment. By incorporating Berry's geographic matrix into GIS education, teachers can enable students to surpass technical issues and to appreciate the conceptual and functional linkages between GIS and geography's intellectual core.     

Integrating GIS into the Undergraduate Learning Environment

Abstract

Despite the promise of GIS, substantial barriers have prevented its widespread use in geographic education. Among the key factors are technical impediments stemming from software complexity, pedagogic issues related to the lack of experienced faculty and the shortage of curriculum materials, and systemic issues associated with faculty motivation. This case study describes strategies that were employed for addressing each of these barriers in a large enrollment, multisection world geography course. Successful implementation of those strategies has enabled large numbers of students in classes taught by instructors with no formal GIS experience to spend a substantial amount of time learning geography with the help of simple, easy-to-use GIS software applications.     

国内外GIS课程内容的对比与启示

介绍了作为全球性GIS教材范本的美国国家地理信息与分析中心（NCGIA）研究生用“地理信息科学核心教程”的内容体系和结构，介绍了被誉为GIS经典的《地理信息系统原理，技术，管理与应用》一书的内容体系，作为对比，介绍了我国最新出版的被誉为“迎接新进展空间时代与信息社会的好教材”的《地理信息系统-原理，方法与应用》一书的主要内容；对比国内外教材，分析探讨了我国GIS教育、教材与人才培养中的成功与不足；针对当前GIS学科发展迅速、人才培养中教材体系庞杂的特点，提出了适应研究生教育的教材体系框架，旨在为我国跨世纪GIS教育与人才培养提供一些借鉴。     

GIS作为新一代地理学语言的特征(英文)

Language plays a vital role in the communication, sharing and transmission of information among human beings. Geographical languages are essential for understanding, investigating, representing and propagating geo-spatial information. Geographical languages have developed and evolved gradually with improvements in science, technology and cognitive levels. Concerning the theoretical progress from geographical information ontology, epistemology and linguistic theory, this paper firstly puts forward the concept of a GIS language and discusses its basic characteristics according to changes in the structures, functions and characteristics of geographical languages. This GIS language can be regarded as a system of synthetic digital symbols. It is a comprehensive representation of geographical objects, phenomena and their spatial distributions and dynamic processes. This representation helps us generate a universal perception of geographical space using geographical scenarios or symbols with geometry, statuses, processes, spatio-temporal relationships, semantics and attributes. Furthermore, this paper states that the GIS language represents a new generation of geographical language due to its intrinsic characteristics, structures, functions and systematic content. Based on the aforementioned theoretical foundation, this paper illustrates the pivotal status and contributions of the GIS language from the perspective of geographical researchers. The language of GIS is a new geographical language designed for the current era, with features including spatio-temporal multi-dimension representation, interactive visualization, virtual geographical scenarios, multi-sensor perception and expedient broadcasting via the web. The GIS language is the highest-level geographical language developed to date, integrating semantic definitions, feature extraction, geographical dynamic representation and spatio-temporal factors and unifying the computation of geographical phenomena and objects. The GIS language possesses five important characteristics: abstraction, systematicness, strictness, precision and hierarchy. In summary, the GIS language provides a new means forpeople to recognize, understand and simulate entire geo-environments. Therefore, exploration of the GIS language’s functions in contemporary geographical developments is becoming increasingly important. Similarly, construction of the conceptual model and scientific systems of the GIS language will promote the development of the disciplines of geography and geographical information sciences. Therefore, this paper investigates the prospects of the GIS language from the perspectives of digital technology, geographical norms, geographical modeling and the disciplinary development of geography.     

A National Survey to Examine Teacher Professional Development and Implementation of Desktop GIS

ABSTRACT

This article examines the results of an online national survey of K–12 educators who attended a series of GIS training workshops conducted by the authors between 1998 and 2004. Data from the self-report survey (N = 186) suggest new information about potential changes in instruction and assessment patterns following GIS training. The survey provides insight for those designing GIS-based professional development, while simultaneously describing relatively little change in instructional methodology. The survey confirms some classroom implementation constraints from an earlier national implementation survey, identifying a lack of time for teachers, variable skill levels among students, and software complexity.     

The Global Landscape of GIS in Secondary Education

This study analyzes the status of GIS in schools in thirty-three countries and proposes recommendations for advancing the implementation and effectiveness of GIS in secondary education from an international perspective. Thirty-three countries have been evaluated in the study to assess the global landscape of educational GIS by analyzing how GIS is recognized, approached, and used across the world with chief challenges, opportunities, and case studies. As the study revealed, the current global landscape of GIS remains small for secondary education; however, the convergence of citizen science, emphasis on spatial thinking, mobile devices, open data, and Web-based map services could cause a significant increase in the numbers of schools, educators, and students teaching and learning with GIS.     

A Time-Sensitive Framework for Including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Professional Development Activities for Classroom Teachers

This work shares a time-sensitive framework for teaching GIS to educators of all levels and disciplines. Existing relationships with teachers enabled the addition of GIS content in professional development activities. The amount of time devoted to GIS-related content varied depending on time made available for interaction with the audience. Content audiences included geography, history, social studies, science, agriculture, religion, and math teachers. The framework was developed, tested, and refined over a period of six years, during thirty-six trainings, and with 580 educators. Use of this framework emphasizes that not one size fits all in GIS education and that GIS can work for any teacher, their content, their classroom, and their time availability.     

An Assessment of the Use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Teaching Geography in Singapore Schools

Abstract

In 1998, geographical information systems (GIS) were introduced to secondary schools in Singapore as a tool for teaching geography at the secondary and junior college levels. However, general observations and feedback from school teachers suggested that only a small number of secondary schools and junior colleges in Singapore were actually using GIS to support the teaching and learning of geography. The present research study was designed to establish the level of GIS usage and to investigate the reasons for the slow integration of GIS in the Singapore secondary schools. This article presents the findings of this research and provides some insight into the use of GIS in Singapore secondary schools.     

Integrating Geospatial Technologies in Fifth-Grade Curriculum: Impact on Spatial Ability and Map-Analysis Skills

This study explores the effects of geographic information systems (GIS) curriculum on fifth-grade students' spatial ability and map-analysis skills. A total of 174 students from an urban public school district and their teachers participated in a quasi-experimental design study. Four teachers implemented a GIS curriculum in experimental classes over six weeks while three teachers continued with regular teaching in control classes. Both groups completed pre- and post-tests measuring spatial ability and map-analysis skills. Students in the GIS classes demonstrated more growth over time in spatial ability and map-analysis skills than did their peers in the control classes.     

基于遥感与GIS技术的吉林省西部土地沙漠化现状及发展趋势研究

对吉林省西部20世纪80年代与90年代中期卫星遥感图像进行解译，利用GIS技术，结合野外调查，研究了吉林省西部土地沙漠化现状、发展趋势、成因及防治对策，认为吉林省西部土地沙漠化仍有扩张的趋势，人类的生产活动是本区土地沙漠化最主要的原因。     

Demographic Transition: Threat to Developing Nations

Abstract

As computers become commonplace in the nation's schools, interactive maps are finding their way into the geography classroom. Students can use electronic atlases to access information as well as use authoring software to produce their own interactive maps. Does this change in media correspond to better geography education for our children? This article addresses whether using interactive maps for gathering and presenting information can have a positive influence on learning geography content. A two-week experiment was conducted in five 7th grade classrooms. Students in four of the classes researched and produced map products using both traditional and computer-assisted techniques. The fifth class was a control group. A pretest and two post-tests were given to quantitatively assess student learning after each project. Also, students were given a qualitative questionnaire to determine their attitude towards the different techniques. Quantitative results of the study indicate that there was no significant difference in student post-test performance after using each of the techniques, but qualitative results suggest that students prefer using the computer techniques over the traditional methods for gathering and presenting information.     

基于GIS的重庆市大气污染空间分异研究

利用空间统计分析方法（spatial statistics analysis）,借助GIS工具分析重庆市3项大气污染物TsP、s02和NO．浓度的空间分异特点。污染物在东北-西南方向上分布最为分散,经济重心与污染重心相差较远。在整体上SO2的空间自相关性很强,属集中分布模式;TSP的空间自相关性较弱,属随机分布模式;NOx处于两者之间。局部相关性分析表明,大部分区、县的大气污染物之间相关性较弱。通过两个年度的浓度动态变化比较,发现SO2和TSP都有明显的消减,但NOx浓度在局部地区仍在增加,增幅达164．2％,使其整体上几乎没有消减。     

社会科学和公共政策的空间化和GIS的应用

近年来社会科学的发展出现三大潮流,即“科学化”(强调借用自然科学的计量分析方法和模型)、“空间化”(关注社会经济现象的空间变化和相互作用) 和“应用化”(侧重于政策性规划性强的实用课题)。空间化的社会科学,尤其是应用研究离不开地理信息系统(GIS) 方法的应用,因为GIS 在整合、分析各种数据尤其是空间数据方面有独特优势。本文举例演示GIS 在相关领域(如经济学、语言历史、社会学特别是犯罪学、公共卫生和规划)的广泛应用。选取的案例来源于笔者多年研究的经验,包括美国联邦政府多家研究机构(NSF、NIH、NIJ) 资助的多项研究成果,旨在说明GIS在社会科学和公共政策研究中的应用价值。     

Trust in Web GIS: the role of the trustee attributes in the design of trustworthy Web GIS applications

Since the introduction of Xerox PARC Map Viewer, there is a high growth in the number of Web GIS (Geographical Information System) applications for public use in different contexts. These applications instruct, advise and provide the tools for spatial analysis to their users, and the people who use them depend or rely on these systems. Many of these users are non-experts who have no GIS expertise and a limited understanding of spatial data handling. These inherent characteristics of non-expert interaction establish risk and uncertainty, which are further increased due to the complexity of Web GIS interfaces. These issues of uncertainty, risk perception and dependence are all trust-related aspects. Online trust has been repeatedly identified as a major concept for online information systems and its value recognised as it influences the intentions to use and the acceptance of online systems and the overall user experience. However, there is a very limited understanding as to exactly how trust is constructed when people, especially non-experts, interact with Web GIS. To improve knowledge in this domain, this article explores the theoretical foundations on how trust can be investigated in this context. Trust studies (mainly from the e-commerce domain) suggest that a trust-oriented interface design may improve the trustworthiness of online systems, and such attention can be given to Web GIS interfaces. Such studies are reviewed and their applicability is considered in the Web GIS context, taking into consideration their special characteristics. A case study is used to discuss how some features may potentially influence the trustworthiness of Web GIS applications. This article concludes by suggesting future research directions for the implementation of a holistic approach, which is necessary to investigate trust in this context.     

Evaluating the Geographic in GIS

Despite several decades of discussion and debate around the role of GIS in the discipline of Geography, it would be a stretch to argue that GIS has not irreversibly altered the discipline, both in the scope of research and teaching as well as in the wider imagination of a general public. However, it remains a challenge to incorporate the range of geographic knowledge, born of a diversity of modalities, into operational insights and analytical pre‐conditions in a GIS. To be certain, some irreconcilability between GIS and geographical inquiry is to be expected, epistemologically speaking. In what follows, we consider what might be meant by a shift to geographic analysis as scholars from disciplines in the humanities and social sciences turn to GIS as a method of observation, interpretation, analysis, and representation. In this context, we engage in a thought experiment and offer some commentary, fixing the notion of information system, while opening the geographic in GIS to more variable understanding. The point is to pursue greater development of GIS theory and method, encompassing, while not reducing, scientific, social scientific, and humanities research.