Abstract

Using a GIS-based education model for alternative high schools
Track: Teaching with GIS in Schools
Author(s): Helenmary Hotz, Jun Zhu

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is becoming a part of education curricula vertically and horizontally nationwide. The City of Boston will be implementing a city wide enterprise GIS initiative, which requires an educated and technically trained workforce to meet its needs. To bring this new technology to an underserved population and create workforce for the industry, an education model was developed to conduct a three-month GIS training effort at University High School (UHS), Boston, Massachusetts. UHS is an alternative high school serving students who are over-age, struggling academically and at-risk in traditional school systems. The course, focusing on human and physical geography, was developed addressing current local issues affecting the student population at UHS. Integrating technology, learning experience and current local events via a GIS platform, we were able to win the students' attention, increase their interest and build a bridge between the classroom and emerging GIS job opportunities in Boston.

Helenmary Hotz
University of Masschusetts Boston
EEOS Dept.
100 Morrissey Blvd
Boston , Massachusetts 02125-3393
United States
Phone: 617-287-5289
E-mail: helenmary.hotz@umb.edu

Jun Zhu
EEOS Dept., University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd
Boston , Massachusetts 02125-3393
United States
Phone: 617-287-7473
Fax: 617-287-7474
E-mail: jun.zhu@umb.edu