AbstractBuilding a Formal Geospatial Technology Program with CollaborationsTrack: Education Author The Mat-Su Career & Technical Education (CTE) Geospatial Technology Program is not a typical high school GIS initiative. What sets this natural resources based program apart is the industry, community and university collaborations put into place before the program was created. These collaborations and their 'real-world' insights guided the development of courses and curriculum. An advisory group to CTE which cut across many different natural resource and agricultural disciplines rated geospatial technology as a priority career field for Alaskans. Following the advisory group's decision, CTE identified and partnered with its collaborators to develop a program fostering student interest beginning in the 4th grade, continuing through high school/college and culminating with industry continuing education needs. Collaboration resulted in a stronger program, leveraged funding and strengthened the likelihood of job placements. This presentation will explain the process used to create Mat-Su CTE program and the courses, sequencing and community programs that resulted. Stephen Brown University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service 809 S. Chugach St., Suite 2 Palmer, Alaska 99645 United States Phone: 9077453639 Fax: 9077455479 E-mail: scbrown4@alaska.edu Ray DePriest Mat-Su Borough School District 501 N. Gulkana Palmer, Alaska 99645 United States Phone: 907-746-9238 E-mail: Ray.DePriest@matsuk12.us |