Abstract
What Model Builder Can Teach Us About Public Engagement
Track: Teaching About GIS for Future Professionals
Authors: Eileen Johnson
As part of an introductory course in GIS, students at Bowdoin College incorporate the use of Model Builder into community based projects as one approach to learning about the public participation process. Model Builder provides students with a powerful tool to model different scenarios such as strategic approaches to land conservation and visually display the results of these scenarios to community organizations. Students gain skills not only in ArcGIS but also in understanding the role of GIS in scenario building, stakeholder engagement and public participation. The presentation will discuss how to introduce students to Model Builder as part of an introductory class and show successful outcomes students have developed using Model Builder. The presentation will also include how students have used the model parameters as well as alternatives to Model Builder in order to enhance the public participation dimension of their projects.