GIS Career Awareness Learning GIS Career Awareness Learning Modules Development, Use, and Modules Development, Use, and

AssessmentAssessment

April 16, 2007, San Diego

San Diego State University

National Visiting Committee Meeting 2007San Diego State University

Ming-Hsiang TsouTony HowserCarl Eckberg

• Web-based GIS Learning Modules Designed for High School Students

Research Activities: Object 5: Research Activities: Object 5: Develop a Web-based GIS Career Awareness Program

Complete Four Learning Modules Complete Four Learning Modules Issue the Certificates to StudentsIssue the Certificates to Students

• The learning module ONE: The Digital Earth --- Virtual Globes and Computerized Maps (create interests and funs for high school students by using Google Earth and Google Maps. Introduce latitudes/longitudes and coordinate systems). 

• The learning module TWO: How Can GIS Help Us? --- GIS Applications in Various Fields (criminal justice, business and marketing, environmental protection, etc.)

• The learning module THREE: The Cutting Edge and Future of GIS Including Mobile GIS, Multimedia GIS Visualization, and Participatory (Collaborative) GIS applications (Mapping Where You Want to Visit in the World in Web-Based Community Maps).

• The learning module FOUR: Putting It All Together: Our Future with GIS. Submit an GIS Career essay (three pages around 500 words) about their learning results from three modules and their future GIS career plan.

Version 1.0 (October 2006) and Version 1.0 (October 2006) and Version 2.0 (March, 2007)Version 2.0 (March, 2007)

Difference between 1.0 and 2.0

Version 1.0 included Geofusion for 3D virtual Globe exercises (but the Plug-In is incompatible with Mac OS). Replaced by Google Map Exercise in Version 2.0.

Version 1.0 used Google Earth 3.0. Version 2.0 upgrade to Google Earth 4.0 with new Sketch-up functions and new user interfaces.

Version 1.0 instructions have both answer sheets and instructions in a single document (Documents are too long). Version 2.0 separated answer sheets from the exercise instruction. (Easier for teacher to use and print-out).

Version 2.0 corrected errors and mistakes founded in version 1.0.

Version 2.0 add components for getting students’ feedback about the learning modules.

Learning Module ONE: Learning Module ONE: The Digital Earth - Virtual Globes and Computerized Maps (2.5 hours)

Learning Module TWO: Learning Module TWO: How Can GIS Help Us?

--- GIS Applications in Various Fields (1.5 hours)

Learning Module THREE: Learning Module THREE: The Cutting Edge and Future of GIS (1.5 hours) (Collaborative GIS works)

Learning Module FOUR: Learning Module FOUR: Putting It All Together:

Our Future with GIS (1 hour) Submit an GIS Career Essay

Student Learning Outcome (SLO)Student Learning Outcome (SLO)Objectives:Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the learning modules, the student will be able to:    

1. Understand the value of GIS skills and the potential of GIS career (module 4).

2. Explain the fundamental GIS concepts, coordinate systems, and the idea of Digital Globe (module 1).

3. Describe at least two GIS applications in various industries and careers (module 2).

4. Identify at least two new directions of future GIS research (such as mobile GIS, multimedia, visualization, and participatory GIS (module 3).

Web-based GIS Learning Module Web-based GIS Learning Module AdvantagesAdvantagesfor high school teachers and students

• Avoid the complicated (and often expensive) software installation in traditional GIS.

• Students can utilize a Web browser to access maps and GIS from anywhere (schools, homes, or libraries).

• Combine with Multimedia (sounds, animation, and 3D) in an integrated Web environment.

• Helix High School (adopted full modules in their GIS course) in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007.

• Hoover High School started to adopt partial modules (collaborative GIS works) in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007.

Implementation and Adoption Implementation and Adoption

• High School Teacher Workshop (San Diego Region) hold on November 3nd, 2006. (12 teachers attended the workshop to learn the new modules) at San Diego State University, GIS lab.

•After the workshop, some teachers expressed their interests of adopting the modules

(San Diego High School)

Assessments:Assessments:

• Tracking how many users (computer accounts) and certificate awardees.

• Weblog analysis (How many copies has been downloaded?)

• Students’ feedbacks (from module exercises) and teachers’ feedbacks (from teachers workshops)

San Diego State University

• Helix High School (Eight students completed the four modules and got the certificates) – first year since Oct 06.

• http://geoinfo.sdsu.edu/hightech/CertificateAwardees.htm

• The Collaborative GIS modules has been used significantly. 203 Users (students) have been granted to access the GIS modules.

Accomplishment Accomplishment

The San Diego City School District is The San Diego City School District is considering the potential for the module considering the potential for the module adoption adoption

Assessments:Assessments:

• Weblog analysis (How many copies has been downloaded?)

San Diego State University

Workshop EvaluationWorkshop EvaluationSan Diego State University

NEXT STEP?NEXT STEP?

• Create a stronger connection to current High School Education Goals and Content Standards.– National Geography Standards – Content Standards for California State Board of Education – Goals of Advanced Placement Program (AP) Human Geography

Course

• Encourage more high schools to adopt the GIS modules (continue the GIS workshops for high school teachers with different levels of topics).

• Stream-line process for issuing the certificates. (Paper version).

• Continue this program after the end of NSF-ATE funding?

San Diego State University

NEXT:NEXT:

Demo of GIS CAREER Awareness Demo of GIS CAREER Awareness Learning modulesLearning modules

by Tony Howserby Tony Howser

San Diego State University