Abstract

Claims and Evidence: Teaching Teachers to Assess Learning Using ArcGIS
Track: Educational Research and Teacher Education
Authors: Lori Hare, Kristi Fredrickson, Nena Bloom

Can we claim that our students are learning STEM content through the use of GIS? If so, we need evidence to support that claim. We have provided two years of professional development for teachers with a focus on problem-based instruction (PBI) using GIS. To evaluate the effect of the model on teaching and learning, we asked teachers to implement a technology-integrated PBI module and assess their student learning. A rubric for assessing student maps and layouts was provided. In the first year of implementation, we learned that teachers were not prepared to assess GIS products in order to determine the level of student understanding; teachers need professional development to understand what appropriate evidence of student learning looks like. In year two of the project we incorporated strategies for assessment of GIS products into the professional development. Results of this effort, PD strategies, and examples of student work will be shared.