International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS in Secondary Schools
This, the first publication to collate a broad international perspective on the pedagogical value of GIS technology in classrooms, offers an unprecedented range of expert views on the subject. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are now ubiquitous and r
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Andrew J. Milson · Ali Demirci · Joseph J. Kerski Editors
International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS in Secondary Schools Foreword by Roger Tomlinson
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Editors Andrew J. Milson University of Texas at Arlington 601 South Nedderman Drive, Box 19529 Arlington Texas 76019 USA [email protected]
Ali Demirci Fatih University Department of Geography Buyukcekmece, Istanbul Turkey [email protected]
Joseph J. Kerski Environmental Systems Research Institute 1 International Court Broomfield Colorado 80021-3200 USA [email protected]
ISBN 978-94-007-2119-7 e-ISBN 978-94-007-2120-3 DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-2120-3 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2011937059 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Foreword
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are in use worldwide – over 400,000 institutions in over 125 countries use them on a daily basis (based on the actual licenses sold by major GIS software manufacturers). Millions of people work in the geospatial industry, estimated at $64 billion per year by the US Department of Labor, and growing at 20% per year. However, in my estimate, the current production of GIS trained students from all educational institutions, secondary and tertiary, does not keep up with the growing demand. In fact, the global uptake of this productive and exciting technology is determined by the supply of trained people able to use it effectively. Geographic Information Systems are contributing to every imaginable activity across the administrative, military, and scientific spectrum. The technology has demonstrated significant benefit to those organizations, countries, and cultures that use it. Clearly education is a critical component in the future of the nations involved. GIS education in secondary schools is the foundation of this progress. This book tells stories from many countries describing their experience with bringing GIS education into the high school. It is a description of real-world experience from which lessons can be extracted. It brings the realization that GIS education is far more than developing skills needed in the workforce. It shines a light on the importance of inquiry-based teaching, where GIS is the enabling tool that allows students to engage in meaningful issues about their environment, time, and place. GIS education leads to critical thinking in a wide range of disciplines, and is fundamental to the creation of decision-makers. This emerges as a persistent theme in the experiences that are related from widely
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