A New CollaborativeModel for GeospatialTechnology Educationin a Rural Region

Tora JohnsonUniversity of Maine at Machias

tjohnson@maine.edu

A New Collaborative Model for Geospatial Technology Education in a Rural Region

Maine Geospatial Curriculum Consortium

Project Partners & Advisors

• Maine GIS Users Group• Maine Office of GIS• CREST CCLI Project• Maine Dept. of Education• Maine Learning Technology Initiative• Maine GeoLibrary Board• Maine State GIS Stakeholders Group• Maine Emergency Management Agency• Center for Community GIS• Maine Geographic Alliance• Maine Land Conservation Alliance• Maine Association of Planners• Maine Municipal Association• Maine 4H Extension• Greenland Point Center• Maine Sea Grant• Maine Dept. of Marine Resources• ESRI, Inc.• Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE)• AgrowKnowledge• Marine Advanced Technology Education Center

A New Collaborative Model for Geospatial Technology Education in a Rural Region

Rural areas & small schools have unique challenges & mandates...

We serve primarily ancillary users

Applications of geospatial technology are different

Schools, businesses, organizations & agencies are smaller

Emerged from national discourse on the future of geospatial technology education

A New Collaborative Model for Geospatial Technology Education in a Rural Region

Four initiatives:

• Workforce Study

• New Programs & Curriculum

• Outreach & Student Competition

• Virtual Geospatial Technology Institute

Workforce Study on Education Needs

• Focus on ancillary users in a variety of fields

• Focus group interviews

• Survey research

• Including...

– Employers– Current users– Current non-GIS users

Workforce Study

Previous studies show need for more accessible and applied education, esp. for ancillary users:

• Municipal employees

• Land conservation professionals

• Marine conservation professionals

• Preliminary workforce education survey

Preliminary Workforce Survey

94 responses

Over half (54%) were ancillary users;

38% were geospatial specialists

Majority said GST will be increasingly important in their field and growing demand

Ancillary users perceived to be in greater demand

Preliminary Workforce Survey

Barriers to using GIS

High cost of education was most cited barrier to using GIS

Distance from training facilities

Lack of time

Lack of curriculum focusing on their needs & applications

→ Widespread desire for more flexible training/ education

Workforce Study: Focus Group Interviews & Survey

• How are people using GIS?

• What content, schedules, formats & programs do people need?

• What skills or training are in demand in the workplace?

• How can we best help people get started with GIS & advance their skills?

• What are colleges & universities doing right?

• What is missing & what can be improved?

Workforce Study, Phase 1: Focus Group Interviews

• Maine Municipal Association

• Maine Land Trust Alliance

• Maine State GIS Stakeholders Group

• GeoLibrary Board

Workforce Study- Preliminary Results

How GST is used?

Vast majority are ancillary users, not specifically GIS techs.

Vast majority focus on very basic map-making, citing lack of training as barriers to doing more.

Many industries are not using GIS as much as they could

Upper and middle management are often not using GIS and often don't understand its uses & potential of the technology

Workforce Study- Preliminary Results

For those who use it, how did they learn GIS?

Many learned by the “seat of the pants”

These say major pieces are missing, ie fundamentals & advanced applications

Many reported taking one class in college and/or tutorials, instructor-led courses through software providers

Many state employees have taken training developed by DEP

Many forget/ lose GIS skills because they don't use it often

Workforce Study- Preliminary Results

Common complaints about courses:

Not applicable to specific applications (most common)

Needs to be taught in smaller “chunks”

Difficult to adapt to academic schedules

Software provider courses are too “cookbook”

Entry-level employees with GIS coursework do not have expected proficiency & independence

Note contradictions!

Workforce Study- Preliminary Results

Need more instruction in...

Addressing technical glitches & finding workarounds

Managing data and using databases

Cartographic & geographic principles underlying GST

Workforce Study- Preliminary Results

What would accessible & applicable education programs look like?

Directly applicable to the workplace and discipline

Real-world, open-ended problem-solving experience

Integrated into education in core disciplines

Produce independent, competent, and experienced users

Possibly shorter courses or workshops

Convenience & accessibility of distance ed with the personalized attention of on-site courses

Note contradictions!

GST Offerings in Maine

Informal Ed & Camps

K-12

Non-Credit Continuing Ed/ Industry

Courses in Applied GST

AS in Applied GST

Certificate in Applied GST

Concentration/ Minor in GST

BS/ BA in Geog. or Applied GST

Courses in non-GST MS/ MA

MS in Applied GST

SIE MS/ PhD

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Before ATEAdded with ATEPlanned

GST Users

Informal/ Casual

Unskilled GST Users

Ancillary GST Users

GST Technicians

GST Analysts

GST Developers

GST Engineers

GST Researchers

GST Offerings vs. GST Users

Education Users

GST Offerings vs. GST Users

Education Users

Aim of Today's Summit

Help us in making recommendations for improving or creating educational...

• Programs

• Policy

• Pedagogy

• Content

• Pathways

• Further Research

Questions for Break-Outs

Strategies for addressing contradictions; GST education should be

- Less cookbook, involve real-world application & experience

- Include fundamentals, ie geographic/ cartographic principles, computing & data management skills

But also...

- Short-term & convenient, adapted to tight schedules

Questions for Break-Outs

How can we respond to workforce needs effectively & efficiently in these specific ways?

- Applicable to disciplines, less cookbook, & involving real-world experiences

- Provide multiple on-ramps, off-ramps & intersections for the GST educational pathways

- Fill the gaps in GST educational pathways

→ While recognizing the constraints of money, time & personnel.

Questions for Break-Outs

How can we best foster mobility among levels and types of education?

InformalK-12

Community College

UniversityGraduate

Industry

Continuing Education

Workforce Study, Phase 2: Survey

Break-Out Groups

- Will have a facilitator & a note taker

- Please elect a spokesperson to report

- Please address the following questions

Next Steps

Draft report will be sent for feedback to...

- All of today's attendees

- ATE grant advisors

- External evaluators

Next Steps

Final report will also be sent to...

- Chancellor & presidents of UMS- President of MCCS & presidents of CCs- GeoLibrary Board

Published on our site: gis.maine.edu