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

该项目将启动研究人员-从业者伙伴关系(RPP)的形成，以阐明K-14预科课程，这将扩大所有学生发展空间和计算(即地球计算)思维技能的机会。这项试点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，他们在服务于代表性不足的少数民族学生和社区方面经验丰富。在美国地理学家协会的协调下，这一区域合作伙伴关系将在探索性研究方面开展合作，为教育标准和经过测试的方法提供信息，帮助各机构了解它们实现地理教育现代化所需的能力，并扩大未被充分代表的少数群体参与地理计算课程的范围。在计算地理中建立包容性路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。这项试点将为其他地区或州提供基础知识，以设计、开发和实施一项战略，使他们实现通向计算密集型工作和大学专业的道路现代化。移动全球定位系统(GPS)等地理空间创新所带来的价值和智能，使地理空间服务行业每年创造约400万个直接就业机会，并在全球范围内创造4000亿美元的收入。最近制造地理空间硬件的民主化是该行业继续创新和发展的迹象。更重要的是，它将产生海量的地理空间数据，这些数据的产生速度将比我们已经面临的更高。然而，这些空间数据的价值取决于一支同时具备计算思维和空间思维的劳动力。2015年，政府问责局提出的担忧是，“在全国范围内，K-12年级的学生可能没有获得足够的地理技能和接触地理的机会，这是满足地理空间和其他地理相关行业的劳动力需求所必需的”。受过地理和计算思维培训的毕业生供应更少，因此公共和私营部门的雇主受到限制，被迫选择聘用一名计算技能有限或没有计算技能的地理学家，或者聘请一名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。推动这项研究的主要问题是：(1)学校或部门在开设涉及地理计算思维的课程时遇到了什么障碍？(2)不同级别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什么障碍？(3)在当今的地理空间技术行业中，需要哪些新技能来提高生产力？(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将启动长期混合方法方法的设计，将调查与定性数据收集相结合，以允许其他地区或州在所有教育级别设计、开发和实施地理计算课程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.