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

该项目将开展研究，为科学、数学、工程和技术（STEM）教师准备的地理空间资源、材料和工具的未来发展和全国传播提供信息。该项目将响应全球最大的地理信息系统（GIS）软件和地理数据库管理应用程序供应商Esri最近宣布的机会，向学校捐赠免费的ArcGIS在线软件许可证，以支持互联计划。该项目将借鉴由美国国家地理学会协调的“路线图项目”提出的关于改善地理教育研究、专业发展和评估的关键建议。研究人员将开发一套资源、材料和工具模型，用于教授各种空间思维和解决问题的技能，并加强GIS的跨学科应用。这项研究将为未来对训练有素的教师进行纵向研究奠定基础，因为他们进入了劳动力市场，并在学校实施了培训。该项目将解决为教师提供地理空间资源、材料和工具的迫切需求，同时为STEM教师教育的长期改革和改进寻求重要的研究措施。因此，该项目将有助于提高全国教师在STEM教学中使用地理空间数据和技术的能力，从而帮助学生获得21世纪劳动力所需的基本地理知识和地理空间技能。该项目将由美国地理学家协会和德克萨斯州立大学合作完成。在这个项目的过程中，研究人员将创建并评估一套基于网络的地理空间资源、材料和工具的原型的有效性，这些资源、材料和工具将向STEM职前和在职教师介绍基本的地理和空间概念，以便通过ArcGIS在线进行有效的教学。原型资源、材料和工具将使用ArcGIS在线数据、学生收集的数据集和其他地理空间技术来构建，以展示在地理问题背景下教学STEM内容的引人注目的例子。该原型将向教师说明如何开发支持STEM教育标准的探究式课程。重点将放在资源、材料和工具的跨学科特征上，以培养教师在整个课程中支持空间思维技能和地理探究的能力。在项目的第二部分，研究人员将使用原型地理空间资源、材料和工具对参与的教师进行前后测试、调查和访谈。数据收集将侧重于测量教师在三个实践领域使用地理空间资源、材料和工具来改善STEM教师专业发展的看法的变化：(1)技术知识，(2)教学知识，(3)学科内容知识。研究人员还将收集有关教师自身空间思维和分析能力变化的数据。

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.