Encoding Geography: Building Capacity for Inclusive Geo-Computational Thinking with Geospatial Technologies

该项目将启动一个研究者-实践者伙伴关系（RPP）的形成，以阐明preK-14途径，这将扩大所有学生发展空间和计算（即，地理计算）思维技能。该试点RPP由地理学家，计算机科学教育工作者和地理空间技术专家组成，他们在为代表性不足的少数民族学生和社区提供服务方面经验丰富。在美国地理学家协会的协调下，该RPP将合作进行探索性研究，以告知教育标准和测试方法，以帮助机构了解他们实现地理教育现代化所需的能力，并扩大地理计算课程中代表性不足的少数民族的参与。建设计算地理学包容性途径的能力将增加所有学生为国家创新生态系统做出贡献的潜力。该试点项目将为其他地区或国家提供设计、开发、并实施一项战略，使他们通往计算密集型工作和大学专业的道路现代化。从移动的全球定位系统（GPS）等地理空间创新中获得的价值和情报地理空间服务行业创造了大约400万个直接就业机会，每年在全球创造4000亿美元的收入。最近地理空间硬件制造的民主化标志着该行业继续创新和发展。更重要的是，它将产生大量的地理空间数据，这些数据的产生速度将比我们现在面临的速度更快。然而，这些空间数据的价值取决于具备计算思维和空间思维的劳动力。2015年，美国政府问责局（Government Accountability Office）表示，“在全国范围内，K-12学生可能无法获得足够的地理技能和地理知识，而这是满足地理空间和其他地理相关行业劳动力需求所必需的。地理和计算思维相结合的毕业生供应更少，因此公共和私营部门的雇主受到限制，被迫在雇用计算技能有限或没有计算技能的地理学家或地理信息专业知识有限或没有专业知识的计算机科学毕业生之间做出选择。推动这项研究的主要问题是：（1）学校或部门在提供涉及地理计算思维的课程时遇到了什么障碍？(2)不同层次的学生在注册或成功学习涉及地理计算思维的课程时遇到了哪些障碍？(3)在当今的地理空间技术行业中，什么样的新技能是必要的？(4)需要做些什么来扩大K-12学校获得高质量地理计算教育的机会？该RPP将启动一个长期的混合方法的方法相结合的调查与定性数据收集的设计，让其他地区或国家设计，开发和实施地理计算课程在所有教育水平。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This project will initiate the formation of a researcher-practitioner partnership (RPP) to articulate preK-14 pathways that will expand opportunities for all students to develop spatial and computational (i.e., geo-computational) thinking skills. This pilot RPP is composed of geographers, computer science educators, and geospatial technology specialists experienced in serving underrepresented minority students and communities. Under the coordination of the American Association of Geographers, this RPP will collaborate on exploratory research to inform educational standards and tested approaches to help institutions understand the capacity they need to modernize geography education and to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in geo-computational curriculum. Building capacity for inclusive pathways in computational geography will increase the potential of all students to contribute to the national innovative ecosystem. This pilot will provide other regions or states the foundational knowledge to design, develop, and implement a strategy to modernize their pathways to computationally-intensive jobs and college majors.The value and intelligence gained from geospatial innovations such as mobile Global Positioning System (GPS) is such that the geospatial services industry creates approximately 4 million direct jobs and generates 400 billion U.S. dollars globally in revenue per year. The recent democratization of manufacturing geospatial hardware is a sign that this industry continues to innovate and grow. More importantly, it will generate enormous volumes of geospatial data, which will be generated at even higher rates than we are already facing. The value of these spatial data, however, hinges on a workforce that is equipped with both computational thinking and spatial thinking. In 2015 the Government Accountability Office raised concerns that "throughout the country, K-12 students may not be acquiring adequate skills in and exposure to geography, which are needed to meet workforce needs in geospatial and other geography-related industries". Graduates with a combination of training in geography and computational thinking is in even shorter supply, so employers across the public and private sectors are limited and forced to choose between hiring a geographer with limited or no computational skills, or a computer science graduate with limited or no expertise in geographic information. Main questions driving this research are: (1) What are barriers experienced by schools or departments to offer courses that involve geo-computational thinking? (2) What are barriers experienced by students at different levels to enroll or succeed in courses that involve geo-computational thinking? (3) What new skills are necessary to be productive in today's geospatial technology industry? (4) What needs to be done to expand access to high-quality geo-computational education in K-12 schools? This RPP will initiate the design of a long-term mixed-methods approach combining surveys with qualitative data collection to allow other regions or states to design, develop, and implement geo-computational curriculum at all educational levels.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.