RAPID: Geospatial Resources, Materials, and Tools for STEM Teacher Preparation

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This project will conduct research that will inform future development and national dissemination of geospatial resources, materials, and tools for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM) teacher preparation. The project will respond to opportunities created by the recent announcement of Esri, the world's largest supplier of geographic information system (GIS) software and geodatabase management applications, to donate free ArcGIS Online software licenses to schools in support of the ConnectED initiative. This project will draw on key recommendations for improving research, professional development, and assessment in geography education developed through the Road Map Project coordinated by the National Geographic Society. The researchers will develop a model set of resources, materials, and tools that teaches a variety of spatial thinking and problem-solving skills and that reinforces cross-curricular applications of GIS. The research will set the stage for future longitudinal research with trained teachers as they enter the workforce and implement their training in schools. The project will address immediate needs to provide teachers with geospatial resources, materials, and tools while pursuing important research measures for long-term reform and improvement of STEM teacher education. This project therefore will contribute to the development of the capabilities of teachers nationwide to use geospatial data and technology for STEM instruction, thereby assisting their students in gaining essential geographical knowledge and geospatial skills for the 21st century workforce. The project will be a collaborative effort between the Association of American Geographers and the Texas State University.During the course of this project, the researchers will create and evaluate the effectiveness of a prototype web-based set of geospatial resources, materials, and tools that introduces STEM pre-service and in-service teachers to fundamental geographic and spatial concepts for effective teaching with ArcGIS Online. The prototype resources, materials, and tools will be built using ArcGIS Online data, student-collected datasets, and other geospatial technologies to present compelling examples of teaching STEM content in the context of geographical problems. This prototype will illustrate for teachers how to develop inquiry-based lessons that support STEM education standards. Emphasis will be placed on the interdisciplinary characteristics of the resources, materials, and tools for fostering teachers' abilities to support spatial thinking skills and geographic inquiry across the curriculum. During the second part of this project, the researchers will use the prototype geospatial resources, materials, and tools to conduct pre- and post-tests, surveys, and interviews with the participating teachers. Data collection will focus on measuring change in teachers' perceptions of using geospatial resources, materials, and tools for improving STEM teacher professional development in three domains of practice: (1) technological knowledge, (2) pedagogical knowledge, and (3) disciplinary content knowledge. The researchers also will gather data about changes in spatial thinking and analytical skills of the teachers themselves.