Abstract

Using ArcIMS to Study Schools, Teachers, and Students
Track: GIS for Administration, Planning and Policy
Author(s): Li Zou, Mark Hogrebe

Using a database of about 2,000 variables from 30 school districts in the St. Louis, MO area, ArcIMS enables an interactive internet approach for studying school, teacher, student, and census data. Users select multiple variables and then display them in geospatial maps across communities and school districts. The strength of this approach is with interactive user-created maps as opposed to static maps. Viewing data spatially on a regional map empowers teachers, administrators, and parents - those who are not researchers - to study and understand data as it exists in the spatial context of school districts, neighborhoods, and communities. A critical key is making navigation easy for novice users to engage in exploratory data analysis. Exploratory data analysis of this type allows teachers, administrators, and parents to see in geospatial context how their school compares on critical variables to other schools within and outside the district.

Li Zou
Washington University in St. Louis
One Brookings Drive
Campus Box 1183
St. Louis , Missouri 63130
United States
Phone: 314-935-8832
E-mail: Lzou@artsci.wustl.edu

Mark Hogrebe
Washington University in St. Louis
One Brookings Drive
Campus Box 1183
St. Louis , Missouri 63130
United States
Phone: 314-935-9364
E-mail: mhogrebe@wustl.edu