Geography Matters : Education

Celebrate Arbor Day With GIS: Friday, April 24, 2009

GIS-Day-Team — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Did you know that GIS technology is used as a tool to manage data about trees?

Here's how a few organizations around the world have employed GIS to do just that:

GIS Is Used to Help Manage Tree Maintenance
The San Francisco Botanical Garden in California uses ArborVue, GIS software built with ESRI's ArcPad and ArcGIS Engine and designed specifically for tree care and inventories, to manage its trees. Read the article.

The "Garden City" of Singapore Manages More Than One Million Trees with GIS Technology
The Singapore National Parks Board relies on GIS technology to manage data about and inspect 1.3 million trees. Read the article.

Buffalo, New York, Urban Tree Management Evolves from Surprise Storm
Known as the "City of Trees," the City of Buffalo has maintained a complete urban forest inventory since 2001. This inventory includes all city-owned trees in the public rights-of-way between the curb and sidewalk and also all trees in the city parks. Read the article.

Ideas

Ways you can celebrate Arbor Day.
Incorporate GIS for forestry into your next GIS Day event.

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai

GeographyMatters — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:42:00 GMT

Watch PBS series Independent Lens on Tuesday April 14 and see how the simple act of planting trees lead to political change and a Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai was the keynote speaker at the ESRI International User Conference in 2007.

Check for local broadcasting times.

GIS Used to Manage and Access the Largest Earthquake Drill in U.S. History

GeographyMatters — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:17:00 GMT

At 10:00 a.m. on November 13, 2008, millions of people throughout Southern California participated in The Great Southern California ShakeOut Drill, the largest earthquake preparedness exercise in U.S. history. The ShakeOut was organized by the Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA), a partnership of earthquake professionals, emergency responders, business leaders, and community activists. The drill simulated a magnitude 7.8 earthquake along the San Andreas Fault in Southern California.

GIS technology was used to help build an accurate, continuously updated emergency information repository; aided decision support and resource management; and enhanced multijurisdictional communication.

GIS software developer ESRI supported participating agencies with software, staffing, and resources used during the exercise, which modeled assessment, rescue, relief, and recovery efforts.

"We worked diligently to create a realistic exercise that helps us see where we are with our response capability in the event of a major earthquake," says John Ellison, agency technology officer and geographic information officer (GIO)/California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) director, California Resources Agency.

The ShakeOut kick-started a weeklong collection of exercises called the Golden Guardian 2008, held November 13-18 and involving 5,000 participants from public agencies around the state.

The goal of the drill was to test and evaluate processes, equipment, technologies, and shared workflows. Results helped determine best practices, opportunities for improvement, and potential new capabilities. "The GIS platform developed for the Golden Guardian 2008 exercise proved to be an invaluable tool," says Paul Hardwick, GIS project manager, San Diego Homeland Security Regional Technology Center. "We were able to post pertinent information to provide situational awareness to the state emergency command center and affected communities as well as areas adjacent to the disaster. The ability to transfer information between systems and to implement server-based tasks for analysis helped make the event a success."

Web-enabled laptops. Mobile GIS helped field crews collect remotely sensed data that was automatically sent back to the comprehensive spatial database.

Related blog posts:

The Great California ShakeOut

The shakedown on the ShakeOut

Geography Awareness Week

GeographyMatters — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:36:00 GMT

Held the third week of November every year since 1987, Geography Awareness Week is a global celebration supported by the National Geographic Society and other organizations. This year, there is a geography-related theme for each day of the week.

Monday—Human Geography/Cultures
Tuesday—Physical Geography/Environments
Wednesday—Geospatial Technologies and GIS Day
Thursday—Global Hotspots
Friday—Geography on the Job

Celebrate the importance of geography in our lives and help others experience the power of geography. Observe one or all five days of Geography Awareness Week from November 16–22, 2008.

New “What is GIS?” PowerPoint

GeographyMatters — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:18:00 GMT

A new "What is GIS?" PowerPoint presentation is available to help you educate participants at your GIS Day event. The presentation starts with definitions of geography and the origin of cartography, then describes applications of GIS technology in today's world. Show this presentation as a learning tool to spread knowledge about the history and uses of GIS.

The NGS Continues to Present the Wonders of the World Through its Maps and Stories

GeographyMatters — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:22:00 GMT

There are few that can easily put down a National Geographic magazine once they have opened it. The maps, stories, and photos of distant places are captivating; bringing a sense of adventure and wonder to both young and old.

The National Geographic Society (NGS) was founded in 1888 in Washington, D.C. by 33 explorers and scientists including Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Among its many current activities, the NGS publishes magazines, films, and maps that support its stated mission to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural, historical, and natural resources."

In addition, the NGS is a sponsor of BioBlitz, an annual 24-hour event in which teams of scientists, volunteers, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant and animal species as possible. The 2008 BioBlitz was held in the Santa Monica Mountains in Southern California. The event is chronicled through a Geostory player. This multimedia presentation includes a location map that can be switched between topographic maps, street maps, aerial images, and hybrid displays; photos geotagged to specific locations on the map; short written descriptions of each photo; and pan and zoom capabilities.

Comments Allen Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Cartographer, National Geographic Maps, "One of the challenges in society today is interpreting the increasing amount of information that constantly bombards us. So, rather than helping us make better decisions, the sheer amount of information sometimes causes us to tune it out. We see maps as storytelling devices and approaching them from that point of view editorially is one of the successes of National Geographic Society. Through our maps and other media, we attempt to filter and interpret information so that we can tell stories that help the general public develop a greater perception of the world, which leads to better understanding and knowledge."

ESRI President Jack Dangermond Talks about the Future of GIS

GeographyMatters — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:18:00 GMT

Recently, Jack Dangermond, ESRI president, talked with Government Technology on what lies ahead for GIS and how the Web plays a crucial role.

"My forecast is that as society becomes familiar with looking at things through geospatial visualization, they will be increasingly interested in services that go beyond simple maps and images. GIS servers managed by public and private GIS organizations will be used to provide these kinds of complementing services.

"The Web and Web services pattern simply represent a new and powerful way to share information and collaborate in its use."

Read the entire article ESRI Founder Jack Dangermond Predicts the Future of GIS

High School Atlas Project Charts Success

GeographyMatters — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:04:00 GMT

A group of Turners Falls [Massachusetts] High School students used GIS to map and describe various aspects of their community such as population, industries, and environmental changes. It gave them an opportunity to see and appreciate where they live in a new way. In addition, they saw the value of this information and how it could be used by those involved with planning, economic development, and environmental protection.
Read the complete article in The Republican, by Cori Urban.

The project was part of ESRI’s Community Atlas program that promotes geographic learning and community involvement. Below is one of the maps the students created.

"Student Population

We examined population density by age, and how that related to the placement of public schools. Throughout the area, school districts have been discussing ways to save money by closing schools, and we wanted to find out if the schools in our area were in areas close to school age children. (Schools are marked with a yellow dot.)

Some members of the community have also wondered if two elementary schools (Sheffield and Hillcrest) so close together makes sense. We looked at our map, and found that those two schools serve a larger population than Gill, Montague Center or Erving schools. Therefore, having two schools, in close proximity to a center of student population (Turners Falls) does make sense. "

See the complete Turner Falls project.

Spatial Thinking: Habits of Mind

GeographyMatters — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:37:00 GMT

Spatially literate people should have an understanding of spatial concepts and have spatial skills attached to their tool belts. However, there is more to a spatially literate person. According to the National Academy of Sciences report Learning To Think Spatially, spatially literate people should also have the "habit of mind" of thinking spatially, knowing where, when, how, and why to think spatially.

Most people I know in the spatial learning and geotechnology education communities fit this characteristic to a "T." They seem to know why to think spatially, because they seek opportunities to advocate the importance of thinking spatially beyond education into society. They seem to know how to think spatially, do so from many viewpoints, and do so throughout the day: When reading a map of airline routes in an in-flight magazine, they may consider network analysis, regional transportation, and tourism's impact on the environment. When the buds burst forth on trees, they may ponder the effect of latitude, altitude, and climate on the speed of the arrival of spring. When looking at a menu, they may speculate about diffusion and how restaurant franchises decide in which cities to locate. When going hiking, they may mark waypoints with their GPS, take photographs, make sketches, thinking about how the landscape has changed in the past and how it will change in the future.

How did the spatial and geotechnology education community develop these habits of mind? Many claim that since childhood, they have always loved maps, geography, or both. Childhood vacations and exploring a vacant lot over the fence may have served to bolster this affinity. However, in most cases, a primary or secondary school class or university program of study has nurtured this love into a lifelong way of thinking and acting. Therefore, educators have an important job of inspiring students, the decision-makers of tomorrow, to think spatially-and not just in their GIS or geography classes, but throughout their days and throughout their lives. Yes, educators have the opportunity to shape these "habits of mind!"

Learn More:

GIS for K-12 Education
Two Necessary Approaches
By Joseph J. Kerski, Ph.D., Education Industry Curriculum
Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center

Teacher Recognized for Incorporating GIS in the Classroom

GeographyMatters — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:40:00 GMT

Kathleen Galau teaches middle school at Floyd Dryden MS in Juneau, Alaska. This month, she was honored as a Featured Teacher by WIRED Science Education for using GIS as part of her curriculum.

Recently, she took her students into the field to track a bear they had collared and tagged. Using GIS analysis, they were able to answer questions like, Was the bear habituated to people? Did the bear frequent garbage dumps? And, how often did the bear cross roads?

GIS Researchers See Pollution Come to Light

GeographyMatters — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:37:00 GMT

Artificial light is not conventionally thought of as a source of contamination, but its disruption of habitats and behaviors of plants and wildlife have brought it into the spotlight as a threat to the environment. Excess light can affect nocturnal predators that need the dark to hunt, wildlife that require darkness for protection and reproduction, and the navigation of birds and other avian wildlife. Unfortunately, due to population growth and unawareness of correct lighting fixtures and practices, dark skies are becoming extinct.

Mount Desert Island, an island off the coast of Maine, is home to Acadia National Park. The park, rich with a variety of wildlife and a diverse landscape, is made up of mountains, beaches, wetlands, forests, and tidal areas. Neighboring the park is Bar Harbor, a town full of lobster boats, restaurants, and hotels.

Last winter, students from nearby College of the Atlantic (COA) conducted one of the first endeavors to map light pollution locally using geographic information system (GIS) software. The main objective in mapping levels of brightness on Mount Desert Island was to create a visual depiction of the sources of extraneous light, quantify that light, and design a method for mapping light pollution locally. Local maps of light pollution would enable decision makers to develop rules to restrict light use, change lighting fixtures in polluted areas, and target ways their own light use can be reduced.

Gathering their data at night, students drove around the island multiple times, measuring the brightness of the sky using a sky quality meter. Averaging three data readings from each of their 140 data points around the island, they used the ModelBuilder application in ESRI's ArcInfo software to create a map that demonstrates the amount of light pollution on the island. In the Bar Harbor area their map shows some of the color red; a concern for Acadia Park officials because red represents a densely populated area such as New York City.

The methodology that the students designed will provide online resources about light pollution in the Mount Desert Island area as well as give Acadia National Park staff the information needed to implement change in lighting fixtures. In addition to providing this information locally, the students hope to make data like this available online. Maps created using their procedure and GIS technology can increase awareness of light pollution in communities and across the globe. Awareness is the first step in providing alternate lighting options that will preserve the earth's wildlife and conserve its energy resources.

Acknowledgement: Research conducted by COA students Nicholas Bacon and Apoorv Gehlot under the supervision of COA GIS instructor Gordon Longsworth.

AN INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE JOURNAL OF MAPS STUDENT EDITION

GeographyMatters — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 23:45:00 GMT

I received this from Mike Smith, editor of Journal of Maps.

We are currently inviting contributions for a special issue of the Journal of Maps Student Edition devoted to the production of university campus maps.

The aims are to

develop excellence in the production of campus maps, targeted at general (i.e. an entire student body) or specific (e.g. visually impaired) audiences
promote the role of cartography within spatial disciplines
encourage the use and cross-fertilization of ideas between GIS, cartography and graphic design in the production of static and interactive maps
develop relationships between university and department level cartographic specialisms

The Journal of Maps (http://www.journalofmaps.com) is an open-access electronic journal. Each article consists of a map or series of maps, in pdf format, accompanied by a relatively brief text (~2000 words). The map(s) could be designed for hardcopy handout to new students in an orientation package, or they could be designed as on-line interactive campus maps. It offers a unique outlet for graphical material that might be difficult or expensive to publish in conventional paper-based journals. Submission to the Student Edition requires support from an instructor or supervisor and is reviewed internally. Students must be currently studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. If a submission is accepted, a recommendation will be made as to whether the article is suitable for submission (and subsequent external peer review) to the full version of JoM.

We hope this issue will encourage both students and instructors on GIS and cartography courses to submit high quality material for review and potential publication. The quality of campus mapping, between universities, is often variable and the outputs from this issue are potentially of practical use to a wide audience.

Publication Schedule

1. If you are an instructor thinking of submitting material from your class and you would like to discuss aspects of this, please do contact

Sally Hermansen: sallyh@geog.ubc.ca
Mike Smith: michael.smith@kingston.ac.uk

2. If you are a student and would like to submit to this issue and have any queries, feel free to contact:

Sally Hermansen: sallyh@geog.ubc.ca
Mike Smith: michael.smith@kingston.ac.uk

3. If you are an instructor, please email a short note outlining the class and potential submissions, by 1st February 2008 to Sally Hermansen (sallyh@geog.ubc.ca).

4. The deadline for submission of completed maps/articles (~1000-2000 words) is 30th May 2008.

5. The Special Issue will be published by the end of 2008. The Journal is managed as a charitable learned society, and it charges a nominal submission fee of £15 for the Student Edition to help cover administrative costs.

Sally Hermansen, Editor for Campus Maps Special Issue, University of British Columbia

Dr Mike J Smith, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Maps

Dr D. Berg, Editor, Journal of Maps Student Edition

Submitted by:
Douglas D. Behm (dbehm@fa.ua.edu ) University Geologist
Office of Land Management and Real Estate Services
University of Alabama

University of Alabama Associate Professor to Create Digital Map of Dhaka

GeographyMatters — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:26:00 GMT

University of Alabama, Birmingham, U.S.A. (UAB) Associate Professor Akhlaque Haque, Ph.D., is returning to his native country of Bangladesh to begin a four-month adventure to create Bangladesh's first comprehensive digital maps using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. Go to http://www.uab.edu/bangladesh to learn about the project. Students can blog and participate in the project.

Specifically, Haque plans to create a map of the capital city of Dhaka, the nation's largest city with more than 5 million people and a major commercial and cultural center. To begin the project, he and his team will spend weeks traveling through Dhaka's roadways and crowded, narrow streets carrying GPS units to collect location data on Dhaka's roads, neighborhoods and major buildings. To collect the data, the team will have to navigate Dhaka's famously congested traffic, with people traveling by car, bike, scooter or rickshaw or riding crowded buses and trains. The team will drive past the city's colorful bazaars, shops and mosques, past shanties and modern buildings and high rises.

Teaching Geography is Fundamental

GeographyMatters — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:03:00 GMT

If you're reading the Geography Matters blog, chances are you know the importance of geography in education and the roll geography plays in understanding today's interconnected world.

My Wonderful World, a National Geographic-led campaign, is supporting an effort to help us tell our lawmakers that we need geography in our classrooms. They've created a letter appropriate for all legislators that you can have e-mailed on your behalf or that you can print and mail.

Not sure to whom you should write? Simply enter your 5-digit U.S. ZIP code and you'll get a list of your legislators and their contact information.

Take action now and tell your lawmakers that you support geography.

To learn more about why we need to Bring Back Geography!, read the article in ArcNews by Jerome E. Dobson, president of the American Geographical Society and professor of geography, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

The Ship that Will Launch a Thousand Opportunities

GeographyMatters — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:59:00 GMT

Founder of the GIS Institute and the nonprofit organization Service at Sea, Drew Stephens works hard to maintain a certain way of life: "Service, work, learning. This is my life. This is fun." The members of Service at Sea will execute this motto by sailing The Copper Sky [pictured right] across the globe to provide GIS training to communities and conservation organizations.

Drew saw a need for an organization like Service at Sea because many communities and conservation organizations have GIS technology but are not adequately equipped with GIS training. The Service at Sea crew will reach out to local conservation organizations that are using GIS technology and aid them in their conservation goals by providing instruction, training, workshops, and other GIS experiences that will ensure sustainable conservation practices.

On June 22nd, Service at Sea had a ceremonial launch from the ESRI User Conference in San Diego, California. The official expedition will begin in July to provide service to communities, conservation groups, teachers, and students. The Copper Sky will take a crew of eight to 12 students, teachers, and earth scientists on a four-year journey dedicated to community outreach, K-12 education, and adventure.

The crew will aid communities by implementing GIS education programs in K-12 schools. They will help teachers develop GIS curriculum and activities that integrate GIS use into other academic spheres, such as science and social studies. Teachers will have online access to curricula and live broadcasts developed from each visited community’s conservation experience. Service at Sea's unique approach to spreading knowledge, having fun, and seeing the world will provide communities with the tools they need to conserve and better manage their resources.

The first leg of The Copper Sky's journey will take the crew up the coast of California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, and finish at Valdez, Alaska. The next segments of the expedition will take them to South America, Africa, India, Indonesia, and other destinations.

If you would like to track the route of the Copper Sky, read the crew's blog, sign up to be on an e-mail list for updates, or learn more about the organization, visit Service at Sea's Web site .