I-Corps L: GeoTech Center

国家地理空间技术卓越中心（GeoTech Center）开发了一个课程内容工具，来自全国各地的专业教育工作者编写了10个地理空间技术示范课程。虽然这些示范课程是准备提供给学生的完整课程，但地理空间社区的更大一部分由已经受雇的人组成。针对这一人群，开发了一种个人评估工具，在出现缺陷时建议教育需要。预计许多客户将是那些准备参加GIS认证协会（GISCI）地理空间核心技术知识考试（GISP考试）的人。所开发的材料将提供基础技能。个人评估工具将针对个人技能的43个子内容领域提出建议。该项目将通过在线和电话调查对地理专业人士进行调查。根据研究结果，GeoTech中心将学习如何最好地满足专业人士的需求，并转向一种不同的收入模式。评估工具和创建的学习辅助工具将导致在地理空间技术方面准备更充分和更熟练的劳动力。该项目设想了专业发展方式的转变。该项目旨在从基于雇主的、一刀切的学习模式转向基于个人评估的规定性学习模式。这些问题是根据国家认可的地理空间技术标准明确定义的，并由200多名专业人员进行了审查。这些标准被整合为43个子类别，并为参与者生成个性化的回应，其中包括所需的建议。这种专业发展的转变将导致更多的技术人员/技术人员成功参加GISP考试并获得他们的认证，这将提高他们的就业水平并使进步成为可能。对于那些对这个认证不感兴趣的人，它将提供一个衡量他们目前的知识和提高技能的方法。第二个影响将是根据经过验证的国家标准向其他技术专业提供知识的方式发生转变。相信其他教育工作者可以效仿这项工作。

The National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center) has developed a course content tool and professional educators from across the country composed 10 model courses for geospatial technologies. While these model courses are full classes ready to be offered to students, a larger segment of the geospatial community is composed of those already employed. For this population, a personal assessment tool has been developed, which recommends educational needs when deficiencies arise. It is anticipated that many of the clients will be those preparing to take GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) Geospatial Core Technical Knowledge Exam (GISP Exam). The material developed will provide foundation skills. The personal assessment instrument will make recommendations in 43 sub-content areas on the individual skills. This project will survey geoprofessionals both through online and phone surveys. From the results of the research, the GeoTech Center will learn how to best meet the needs of professionals and to move into a different revenue model. The assessment instrument and the created learning aides will lead to a better prepared and more skilled workforce in geospatial technologies.A shift in the way professional development is delivered is envisioned in this project. This project seeks to move from employer-based, one-size-fits-all learning, to a model of prescriptive learning based upon a personal assessment. The queries are clearly defined based upon nationally recognized standards in geospatial technologies and have been vetted by more than 200 professionals. The standards are consolidated into 43 sub-categories and an individualized response is generated for participants, which includes recommendations of what is needed. This shift in professional development will lead to more technicians/technologists being successful in taking the GISP Exam and receiving their certification which will improve their level of employment and make advancements possible. For those not interested in this certification, it will provide a measure of their current knowledge and ways to improve their skill sets. A secondary impact will be a transformation of how knowledge is made available to other technical professions based upon proven national standards. It is believed that other educators can emulate this work.