Geospatial+thinking


 * Developing Students’ 21st Century Thinking Skills with GIS: ISTE2011 presentation by Bob Kolvoord**
 * check handout at [|Charles_GSSThinkingSkillsISTE2011_RP.pdf]
 * value of overlays in Google Earth; eg John Snow's map of cholera epidemic in London
 * Google Earth is primarily show and tell, but has other uses
 * why should we care about spatial issues?
 * what are the key questions we expect adults to address in the 21st century? Essentially, many of the global issues require geographic (spatial) reasoning, yet history seems to reign supreme
 * what is spatial reasoning? the ability to visualise and interpret things you see on a map; looking for geographic patterns
 * National Academy reports support this; need to increase STEM literacy - yes, this includes spatial thinking
 * GoogleSpatial technologies: geobrowsers (GE), GPS, remote sensing (satellites), GIS
 * GPS: huge growth in auto industry; big explosion in smartphone location based services; lots of schools have stand-alone units, good opportunity to collect data
 * but, do GPS units make us locationally stupid
 * remote sensing: eyes in the sky; can be pics or various ones taken at different wavelengths
 * geoeye sells imagery; can browse some for free; much better than GE
 * ESRI make lots of tools available; eg Landsat imagery, can look at changes in vegetation over 30 year period, even as side-by-side maps
 * NB: there were some Landsat issues in 2005
 * the full range of tools are not available in these web-based tools, but it is a great start
 * basic apps: Google maps; Bing maps; GE; GE lessons __ [] __
 * web-based GIS apps: ESRI Business Analyst Online; type in any zip code (US only) to get demographic info comparing given area to national; very much used by marketers
 * ArcGIS online: allows you to make own map plus do analysis; be aware of date of map imagery you are using
 * ArcGIS have numerous global maps already prepared to show changes over time, eg agricultural use, US population change
 * the key geography question is: **why** things are where they are
 * ArcGIS ExplorerOnline ( __ [|explorer.arcgis.com] __ ); allows queries; can create presentations; with an account, you can save and share
 * to go further (cost involved): ArcGIS (PC only), MyWorld - Pasco(both)


 * Teaching Geospatial Learning Technologies to Investigate Environmental Issues:** **ISTE2011 presentation by Alec Bodzin**
 * check outline of presentation at ISTE2011 conference website and work units __ www.ei.lehigh.edu/eli __
 * from Pennsylvannia; all tested; all content is free, thanks to partners
 * covers energy (8 week unit), climate change and land use change
 * each unit has overview, instructional framework and sequence
 * assessment section is password protected
 * lots of how-to pdf guides for teachers plus others for students (NB.  instructional or motivational guides rather than 'handouts')
 * recommends turning on grid in Google Earth; heaps of kids are geographically challenged
 * use Google ruler tool to measure distances
 * make use of elevation profile when right-clicking on path
 * MyWorld GIS: a worthwhile investment; check out website, seems good; cross-platform


 * Citizen Science with Web-based Mapping and Multimedia: ****ISTE2011 presentation by** ** National Geographic **
 * National Geographic are revamping their website to promote web-based mapping and multimedia
 * check some mapping examples at tinyurl/NatGeoMap and tinyurl/NatGeoMap1
 * MapMaker Interactive Tool requires Flash; use Markers tab to drag and drop markers onto your map
 * whole beta site, but useable; very thorough activities; lots of filtering possible; vocabularies; suggestions for informal assessment; links to other resources; can call out info from archived NatGeo site
 * current event connections is another tab; eg Japanese tsunami; data, resources, activities, blogs, links, etc
 * Project NOAH: an app that encourages people to upload images of flora and fauna you encounter