2012 education track, developing an online geospatial learning lab, mike johnsen
DESCRIPTION
The online environment provides many opportunities to develop unique learning opportunities not typically found within the traditional face-to-face classroom. This paper describes the development of an online geospatial learning lab, a lab designed to support online graduate and undergraduate GIS programs at American Sentinel University. The geospatial lab is conceptually similar to a learning commons, that is, an area that brings together resources and materials in a way that facilitates the development of an active learning community. Although the concept of the learning lab continues to evolve, the strategy for the use of a number of online tools, such as VoiceThread, will be discussed. In addition, a strategy for the use of online badges as a way to encourage students to participate in the learning lab will be described.TRANSCRIPT
Developing an Online Geospatial Learning Lab
Mike Johnsen, GISP
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
GIS in the Rockies 2012
2
What is an Online Geospatial Learning Lab?
+ = ?
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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What is an Online Geospatial Learning Lab?
An area that brings together resources and materials
in a way that facilitates the development of an active
learning community.
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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What is an Online Geospatial Learning Lab?
An area that brings together resources and materials
in a way that facilitates the development of an active
learning community.
A one-stop shop serving as a destination for students to
learn and have fun.
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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How does the GLL fit into the big picture?
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubik%27s_cube_v3.svg
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How does the GLL fit into the big picture?
Lab is a complimentary
resource that will benefit:
Overall GIS Program –
associate, bachelor’s, and master’s
levels of study
University as a whole
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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How does the GLL fit into the big picture?
Lab serves many purposes:
1. Supplements GIS course curriculum
2. Provides more in-depth instruction for high-level
and specialized tasks
3. Mechanism for getting GIS into the entire
curriculum
4. Encourages students to think spatially
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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What is an Online Geospatial Learning Lab?
An area that brings together resources and materials
in a way that facilitates the development of an active
learning community.
A one-stop shop serving as a destination for students to
learn and have fun.
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Resources
Dynamic database of web links for a variety of
existing resources
Generally fall into 3 main categories:
• Education
• Data sources/software
• Other interesting things
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Resources
Education – links to tutorials, training, and other
learning opportunities
• ESRI – wealth of knowledge in a variety of formats
(virtual campus courses, training seminars, web courses, videos)
• SpatiaLABS – apply concepts and skills to real-world
scenarios
• Variety of other educational links
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Resources
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Other Educational Links (a few examples)
• Penn State’s Open Educational Resources (OER) Courseware Modules
http://open.ems.psu.edu/courseware
• Google Earth’s Classroom Resources: Projects for My Subject
http://sitescontent.google.com/google-earth-for-educators/classroom-
resources/projects-for-my-subject
• USGS Educational Resources
http://rmmcweb.cr.usgs.gov/outreach/gps.html
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Resources
Data Sources – links to GIS data and map services
available for download online, organized by:
• Source (e.g., fed government, state/county, university,
commercial)
• Geographic coverage (e.g., global, country, state, region)
• Topic (e.g., transportation, renewable energy)
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Resources
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Data Sources (just a few examples)
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – organized by state office
• USDA Geospatial Data Gateway – http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/
• USGS The National Map – http://nationalmap.gov/
• DIVA-GIS – http://www.diva-gis.org/gdata
• The GIS Data Depot – http://data.geocomm.com/
• OpenStreetMap – http://www.openstreetmap.org/
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Resources
Other interesting things
• Innovative uses of GIS-related technology
• Fun activities (yes, even games)
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Materials
Directly available in the GLL
• Step-by-step instructions/tutorials
• Case Studies
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Materials
Step-by-step tutorials
• Fill in online content gaps
• Overview of tools used
• Present activity
• Provide self-assessment
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Materials
Step-by-step tutorials
• Self-assessments include review
questions/puzzles
• Focus on advanced topics
• Focus on specific industries
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Materials
Case Studies – real-world applications of GIS tools
• Rely on learned skills
• Develop spatial problem-solving skills
(prior knowledge of the case study topic is not necessary)
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Materials
Case Studies – real-world applications of GIS tools
• Fill in content gaps
• Go into more depth
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
(e.g., compliment SpatiaLABS)
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What is an Online Geospatial Learning Lab?
An area that brings together resources and materials
in a way that facilitates the development of an active
learning community.
A one-stop shop serving as a destination for students to
learn and have fun.
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Active Learning Community
Key to the success of the GLL
• Resources and materials challenge students
• Encourage student input on resources and
materials
• Discussion forums enhance learning
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Discussion Forums
Online format
• Standard
text-based
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Discussion Forums
Online format
• Standard
text-based
• Multi-media
(e.g., VoiceThread)
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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VoiceThread
A tool for having conversations around media
• Interact using images, videos, and documents
(comment by telephone, webcam, microphone, text, file upload)
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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VoiceThread
A tool for having conversations around media
• Interact using images, videos, and documents
(comment by telephone, webcam, microphone, text, file upload)
• Asynchronous
conversation
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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A tool for having conversations around media
• Promotes better
understanding of
complex topics
• Enables students to
easily share GIS
solutions
VoiceThread
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
What VoiceThread looks like (example)
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Self-Assessment and Accountability
Learning at your own pace while providing
opportunities to measure success
• Simple self-assessments in step-by-step tutorials
and case studies
• Online badge system
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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Self-Assessment and Accountability
Learning at your own pace while providing
opportunities to measure success
• Simple self-assessments in step-by-step tutorials
and case studies
• Online badge system
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
29
Online Badge System
Documentation of skill building in the GLL
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Geoprocessing
Basic Knowledge
ModelBuilder
Python
Core Concept Badge Topics
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Documentation of skill building in the GLL
Online Badge System
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Understands and is able to implement basic geoprocessing tools to solve spatial problems.
Demonstrates ability to develop and execute geoprocessing models using ModelBuilder.
Demonstrates ability to use Python code to execute geoprocessing tasks.
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Online Badge System
Connect with the university ePortfolio requirement
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Understands and is able to implement basic geoprocessing tools to solve spatial problems.
Demonstrates ability to develop and execute geoprocessing models using ModelBuilder.
Demonstrates ability to use Python code to execute geoprocessing tasks.
Documentation of skill building in the GLL
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Accessibility
Who can use the GLL?
• Students in the GIS program
• Students in other programs at the university
• Everyone else?
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
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We would like your help
Community input will make the GLL a better
resource
• Resource links and data sources
• Content ideas
• Comments and suggestions
GIS in the Rockies 2012
Educating the Next 25 Years of GIS Professionals
Mike Johnsen, GISP
GIS Course Developer
Stephen McElroy, Ph.D., GISP
GIS Program Chair