Geospatial Education in the 21st Century

The truth…if you always lived in San Diego

Truths can be spatially contingent

Providence, RI San Diego, CA

The truth is often scale dependent

World

Realms

Regions

Neighborhoods

Globalization has made the world ‘flat’

• Geography has been conquered• Place is increasingly less relevant

Not the future of thematic maps…

Site and Situational Factors

Place still matters

Distance and Time

Regions are increasingly interconnected

Global News Demands Geographic Context

Diverse cultural understanding needed

What does 21st century geospatial education look like?

Geography and geospatial education is not…

How can we help students understand a complex, interconnected world?

Provide geographic information

Teach geographic concepts Use data, maps, and geospatial technology

Ask questions which encourage spatial thinking.

Geographic Literacy comes by teaching

WITH GIS

1. Provide geographic information

2. Teach geographic concepts

3. Use data, maps, and geospatial technology

4. Ask questions which encourage spatial thinking.

Environmental changes require holistic, systemic thinking

Students more fully “own” the knowledge when they’ve worked with the data

Geospatial Education

Spatial thinking integrates subjects

ELA and the Common Core

History Student Teachers

Earth Sciences, Landforms

Mapping facilitates exploration and discovery

Local Town Projects

Many data visualization tools

http://geographyeducation.org/articles/mapping-rockys-run/

http://geographyeducation.org/articles/mapping-rockys-run/

A spatial perspective is not just for geographers

spatial mapping map projections

The Bearded Bandit

The spatial becomes personal

How can we help students understand a complex interconnected world?

Provide geographic information

Teach geographic concepts Use data, maps, and geospatial technology

Ask questions which encourage spatial thinking.

Geographic Literacy