Abstract

The Geospatial Semester: Connection High School and College Geospatially
Track: Teaching with GIS in Schools
Author(s): Bob Kolvoord, Jay Ruffa, Paul Rittenhouse, Paul Rittenhouse

This panel will discuss James Madison University's innovative Geospatial Semester project in collaboration with high schools in Virginia. After a brief introduction about the project, teachers implementing this unique dual enrollment effort (In the Geospatial Semester, high school students earn college credit as they complete high school coursework focused on geospatial technologies) in their schools will discuss the accomplishments of their students and the professional challenges they faced bringing geospatial technologies into the high school curriculum. The teachers will share both student projects and also student reactions to this effort to blur the line between high school and college and to build students' skills with GIS and other geospatial technologies. The extended, locally-based student projects are a critical feature in the success of the Geospatial Semester to date.

Bob Kolvoord
James Madison Univ.
MSC 4102
Harrisonburg , Virginia 22807
United States
Phone: 540-568-2752
Fax: 540-568-2768
E-mail: kolvoora@jmu.edu

Jay Ruffa
Hopewell City Public Schools
Hopewell High School
400 S. Mesa Dr.
Hopewell , Virginia 23860
United States
Phone: (804) 541-6402
E-mail: jruffa@hopewell.k12.va.us

Paul Rittenhouse
Western Albemarle High School
5941 Rockfish Gap Tpke
Crozet , Virginia 22932
United States
Phone: 434-823-8700
E-mail: prittenhouse@k12albemarle.org