Abstract
Incorporating GIS into the Landscape Architecture Curriculum through Service Learning.
Track: Teaching with GIS Across the Curriculum
Authors: Leehu Loon
Service learning is a unique, dynamic, and powerful framework for student learning and landscape architecture is a diverse profession which requires a multi-faceted educational approach. This research will illustrate the importance of a recent service learning project that was conducted by graduate students and faculty in the Division of Landscape Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (OU) utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Recently, GIS concepts and software were introduced into the landscape architecture curriculum at OU. This project provided the framework to accomplish the integration of GIS software (ArcGIS 10, ArcGIS Online) as well as meet the course goals and objectives. The results of this project show that introducing GIS concurrently with principles of design can have beneficial outcomes for the project. Highlights of the project will be discussed and shown as well as projections for future GIS integration into the landscape architecture curriculum.