Project DESCARTES: Building Undergraduate Access to Geographic Information Science Research

来自NSF仪器和实验室改进（ILI）计划的支持将用于进行教育实验，将UCSB的研究生和教师研究直接融入我们的本科课程。UCSB作为国家科学基金会国家中心推进地理信息科学的地位和UCSB研究发挥的独特作用使圣巴巴拉成为这项实验的理想场所。 该计划将启动笛卡尔项目，有四个组成部分：1。一个笛卡尔实验室，作为一个联络点，具有先进的研究水平的设施，技术地理信息科学; 2。正式修改现有六个班级的课程，在课堂上使用真实的研究数据和批判性思维; 3.增设“研究经验”课程，将之纳入高中课程;及一套非正式的补充，以建立一个研究环境丰富的经验，为学生旨在鼓励出版，研究活动，科学会议，并继续接触毕业后。 我们预计，随着笛卡尔传播计划的实施，将产生重大的地方、国家和国际影响。 实现这一目标的一个途径是加速编制地理信息系统核心课程二的单元。 这些模块是面向学生的，以便他们可以直接融入课堂。 这一NCGIA赞助课程的开发与NCGIA网站（http：//www.example.com）上公布的指导方针真正合作。www.ncgia.org 社区学院的教师和学生以及K-12教师和学生也将受益。 社区学院学生的重点将是改进技术培训。 在高中一级，NCGIA正在努力将地理和GIS方法引入整个课程。 我们希望在地理意识周期间将新实验室用作开放日和讲座的展示品。 在这一周里，我们在学校平均有50到60个演讲。

Support from the NSF Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) program will be used to conduct an educational experiment in integrating graduate and faculty research at UCSB directly into our undergraduate program. UCSB's status as an NSF National Center for advancing geographic information science and the unique role that research plays at UCSB make Santa Barbara an ideal place for this experiment. The plan will launch project Descartes, with four components: 1. A Descartes Laboratory to act as a focal point, with advanced research level facilities for technical geographic information science; 2. formal modifications to the curricula of six existing classes to use real research data and critical thinking in the classroom; 3. A new class to add the "research experience" into the senior level curriculum; and 4. a suite of informal additions to build a research environment enrichment experience for students aimed at encouraging publication, research activity, scientific meetings, and continued contact alter graduation. We anticipate significant local, national and international impact as a consequence of following the project Descartes dissemination plan. One way this will arise is through accelerated development of modules for the core curriculum II in GIS. These modules are student oriented so that they can be directly integrated into the classroom. The development of this NCGIA sponsored curriculum is truly collaborative with guidelines posted at the NCGIA Web site (http://www.ncgia.org). Benefits are also anticipated for community college faculty and students, and K-12 teachers and students. The focus for community college students will be improved technical training. At the high school level, NCGIA is leading efforts to introduce Geography and GIS approaches into the complete spectrum of the curriculum. We hope to use the new laboratory as a showpiece for open houses and lectures during geography awareness week. During this week we average 50 to 60 presentation s in schools.