Eric Money

The GAPS (Geospatial Applications for Problem Solving) for Hi-Tech Teens program is a collaborative effort between NC State University, Wade Edwards Learning Lab (WELL), and RTI International. The program is designed to introduce high school students to Geospatial science, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and advanced geovisualization technologies through an intensive after-school STEM learning experience. The GAPS for Hi-Tech Teens program will consist of 2 unique 8-week cohorts (20 students) during the academic year, including 2 mandatory contact hours per week, plus a 2-hour open lab where students can work with mentors on project activities, for a potential of 64 contact hours. The program will also include a 1-week summer program focused on college and career preparedness. The four primary goals of the program are to 1) engage students in community-focused decision making using Geospatial science, 2) increase student capacity for creating and using interactive geovisualization technologies, 3) expose students to GIS-STEM related college programs and careers, and 4) support students with tutoring in mathematics and science. Another mission of the program is to reach historically underserved populations in STEM fields, including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indian, and female students. Therefore, we will utilize WELL??????????????????s experience and established relationships with several Wake County schools to provide a diverse base of possible participants in the GAPS for Hi-Tech Teens program, with a goal of at least 60% of participants being minority. To achieve goal 1 the curriculum will be designed around an 8-week project activity that focuses on relevant community topics. Students will work in pairs to identify a spatial topic, acquire the necessary data, develop relevant geospatial models (through student-built tangible landscape systems), analyze and visualize their results, and communicate findings to peers and the public. To achieve goal 2 students will design and build their own tangible landscape system coupled with GIS. Students will also learn how to map using GIS software. In addition, each cohort will participate in a technology field trip to NC State??????????????????s Geovisualization Lab where they will interact with advanced geospatial technologies, including Virtual Reality, GazeGIS, SimTable sandbox models, 3-D glasses, GigaPan cameras, and GPS units. To achieve goal 3 students will interact and observe geospatial professionals through an expert panel, and college and career field trips during the 1-week summer program. The semester cohorts will also be mentored by our professional collaborators at RTI International and NC State, community partners, as well as the graduate and undergraduate assistants. To achieve goal 4 students will have access to a dedicated mathematics and science tutor at the WELL for 6 hrs/week outside of the regular program activities.

The use of geospatial science and technologies in formal high school classroom settings has thus far been inhibited by a lack of fundamental geospatial knowledge and awareness by teachers. Teachers are often reluctant to introduce new technologies they are not comfortable with. Therefore, the goal of this project is to develop a summer professional development workshop focused on helping teachers gain familiarity with geospatial science and technology concepts that can easily be integrated into their existing curriculums in the classroom. The workshop will introduce high school teachers to geospatial concepts, geospatial technologies that are readily available, and provide an opportunity to develop pilot lesson plans for deployment in their classrooms.