Integrating
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into Wisconsin Public
Schools
by
Jim Brey, Associate Professor of Geography/Geology, UW-Fox
Valley, and
Diane Pillard, Director of Continuing Education and Extended
Services, UW Colleges
While
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is rapidly gaining
importance, few teacher education and certification programs
currently include GIS as part of their curricula. Thus,
there have been few opportunities for K-12 classroom teachers
to acquire an understanding of GIS, its uses, and how
to integrate it into an existing, standards-based curriculum.
However, through UW System grant funding and the cooperation
of several UW System institutions and partners, a group
of Wisconsin K-12 teachers received GIS training in the
summer of 2000 and developed projects to integrate it
into their curricula. (Feb. 2001)
Virtual
Field Trips: Just Like Being There
Professor Michael Ritter
Department of Geography, UW-Stevens Point
Professor Ritter has used a of a variety of teaching and
learning technologies during the last ten years. He has
recently published Earth Online: an Internet Guide for
Earth Science, the first book of its kind, and is an active
participant of the NSF sponsored Virtual Geography Department
project. In his introductory physical geography course
at UW-Stevens Point, he uses the web extensively, distributing
lecture materials, on-line assignments, lab answer keys,
providing virtual field trips, and communicating with
students.
Internet
Resources in Geography Assignments
Donald Rambadt, Lecturer
Department of Geography, UW-Whitewater
ABSTRACT
(with no feature article)
Professor Rambadt uses the Internet in several of his
classes. In Global Perspectives, a class Rambadt, Jayati
Ghosh, and John Patterson teach, students do an Internet-based
research assignment and use population simulations developed
at Virginia Technological University. This class is part
of the National Science Foundation Funded Virtual Geography
Department Project at the University of Texas, Austin.
The Global Perspectives class home page is located at
http://facstaff.uww.edu/rambadtd/globalp/opener.htm
Rambadt and Patterson also use the Web in
their Field Studies class; from the Field Studies home
page, http://facstaff.uww.edu/rambadtd/channel/Channel.htm,
students can explore the use of Virtual Field Trips and
access information about preparing for a foreign study
experience. You can reach Donald Rambadt at rambadtd@uwwvax.uww.edu
Freshman
Seminar Resources at UW-Marathon County
Professor Keith Montgomery
Department of Geology & Geography, UW-Marathon County
Professor
Montgomery operates a freshman seminar whose format concentrates
on almost entirely "skills" or "survival"
courses. The overall objectives of such courses
generally include easing the transition to university
for the student, academically and socially, and increasing
student success and retention. The Freshman Seminar
at UW-Marathon County has been running now for five years
in the fall semester and enrolls about one quarter of
the incoming freshman in 5-6 one credit sections.
Students use a "Hyper Link" textbook in which
some sections are linked to existing courses or programs
where most, if not all of the students, are enrolled in
both the seminar and the "regular" course.