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EXPLORING GIS IN K-12 EDUCATION
"A new approach to teaching geography"

An Annotated Bibliography by Emily Rynerson

GEO 565, Oregon State University, Winter 1999



TEACHING GIS IN SCHOOLS

  1. Barstow, Daniel, Ed.; et al. 1995. National Conference on the Educational Applications of Geographic Information Systems (EdGIS): Conference Report. Washington, D.C. January 27-29, 1994. TERC, Cambridge, MA. 147 p.
    This report gives an over view of the goals of the EdGIS Conference which included a wide variety of applications and research possibilities with GIS. The major themes of the conference included the current state of GIS software and related curriculum development, recommendations for further research and development in GIS, and the need to promote public awareness and support fo the use of mapping software in the classroom.
    **Key Words: GIS, education, mapping, curriculum.

  2. Brown, Terry J.; Burley, Jon Bryan. 1996. Geographic Information Systems in the Classroom: Methods and Philosophies. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, v. 25 no. 1, p. 17-25.
    Describes the curriculum, philosophic perspectives, and student products related to teaching GIS and landscape planning by examining a college course in the GIS and landscape instructional area taught at the University of Michigan.
    **Key Words: GIS, education, student, landscape, University of Michigan.

  3. Carlstrom, Dick; Quinlan, Laurie A. 1997. Students Investigate Local Communities with Geographic Information Systmes (GIS). TechTrends, v. 42 (Apr./May), p. 4-6.
    Describes the use of Geographic Information Systems in elementary and secondary school classrooms. Students use GIS software, databases, graphing data and spatial analysis to describe the characteristics of neighborhoods, cities, and regions. An example how this information was used was a project for secondary students investigating the local economy for summer jobs.
    **Key Words: GIS, spatial analysis, secondary and elementary school classrooms.

  4. Jasco, Peter; Tiszai, Judit. 1996. It's All About Maps: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. MutiMedia-Schools; v. 3, no. 3, p. 28-38.
    Advises educators about the quality of maps contained in CD-ROM encylopedias, atlases, and almanacs. A table compares strengths and weanesses of selected electronic maps.
    **Key Words: Maps, CD-ROM, educators.

  5. McWilliams, Harold; Rooney, Paul. 1997. Mapping Our City: Learning to Use Spatial Data in the Middle School Science Classroom. TERC, Cambridge, MA. 8 p.
    Mapping Our City is a two-year project in which middle school teachers and studetns in Boston explore the uses of GIS in project-based science, environmental education, and geography. This paper is a progress report on how those students are creatign and using spatial data to analyze an urban river. Key findings indlude the use of maps to focus student attention on spatial aspects of the data, the use of GIS to organize and store students data, and making GIS technology earier to use.
    **Key Words: GIS, mapping, middle school classroom.

  6. Michelsen, Michael W. Jr. 1996. Geographic Information Systems: Empowering Kids to Make a Difference. MultiMedia-Schools, v. 3 no. 1, p. 26-29.
    Presents actual applictations of ArcView in K-12 classrooms. Electronic maps and information databases are used in an elementary school and a high school to describe specific communities. Findings show that students are using GIS technology to collect, alalyze, and apply local data to real community situations.
    **Key Words: ArcView, K-12 classrooms, databases.

  7. Ramirez, Monica; Althouse, Patricia. 1995. Fresh Thinking: GIS in Environmental Education. T.H.E. Journal, v. 23 no. 2, p. 87-90.
    The Palm Beach County GIS project integrates technology to teach environmental and earth education to high school students. They focus on interdisciplinary subject matter, and address environmental values. GIS is used as an exciting and innovative way to teach students environmental ethics because it fosters a tranformation in their self-esteem and value system.
    **Key words: Environmental Education, GIS, High School.


USING THE INTERNET IN SCHOOLS

  1. Baumbach, Donna. 1998. Helping Teachers Teach: Integrating the Internet into the Classroom. MultiMedia-Schools, v. 5, no. 1, p. 26-28. Discusses many benefits of the Internet as a development tool, helpign teachers integrate the Internet into classroom instruction. Describes how to use the information sources on the Web for student involvement in curriculum integration.
    **Key Words: Internet, teachers, curriculum.

  2. Joseph, Linda C. 1996. MultiMedia-Schools, v. 3, no. 5, p. 21-24. A World of Dicovery Online. List 26 science Web sites relating to activities, experiments, math, etc. K-12 students and teachers can use the Internet for planning science fair activities, for project ideas, resources, and interactive Web sites.
    **Key Words: Internet, K-12 students, science.

  3. Rutkowski, Kathleen. 1996. Caught in the Middle: U.S. Middle Schools on the Web. MultiMedia-Schools, v. 3, no. 5, p. 73-75.
    The World Wide Web has become a new way for middle school students and teachers to demonstrate creativity and innovation. The VOICES (Vision, Originality, Integrity, Community, Empowerment, Structure) methodology for Web site evaluation is described.
    **Key Words: World Wide Web, middle school students, teachers.


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