Grounding Geospatial Technologies Across Disciplines
Abstract: In the past decade, new studies have yielded results that should not surprise educators integrating geospatial technologies and content: including these in the curriculum enhances student performance (Hinde, 2009; Goldstein, 2010). Geospatial technologies, specifically Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, provide educators with a new way to connect classroom learning with real world application. This practice allows students see how their learning today is relevant to their world and their future within it. In addition, GIS software is a powerful tool within the project-based learning environment. It acts as the common operating system for visualizing, analyzing and presenting real-world information from multiple disciplines. This helps students see the relevance of their various courses and concepts, because in reality, they are actually integrated rather than siloed. This panel invites researchers who have been integrating geospatial technologies and content to discuss their findings and develop further research to examine these cross-disciplinary effects.