Using GIS in Secondary Education: Curriculum, Implementation and Results

Dr. Monica Ramirez
Florida Atlantic University

Responsible environmental behavior has been cited as the ultimate goal of environmental education. Existing empirical studies indicate that this goal is not being met in schools across America. Environmental educators have the responsibility to produce human beings with what is called an Renvironmental ethic.S With this in mind, Florida Atlantic University and the School District of Palm Beach County developed a GIS curriculum for grades 6-12, which was approved by the Florida State Department of Education as RGeoscience.S The curriculum was implemented during the 1994-1996 school years at Jupiter Community High School. Based on the success of this course, the GIS program has been expanded to include the middle school level, where GIS is taught as three separate courses in grades 6-8.

Why GIS? GIS technology is the tool that empowers students to solve real-life problems. GIS produces students with an environmental ethic and fosters a transformation in studentUs self-esteem and value systems. The mechanics of GIS reveal the realization that environmental problems are really science-related social problems.

RESEARCH: Research was conducted to determine how GIS instruction was a crucial factor in improving and changing studentsU attitudes in environmental education. The High School Environmental Literacy Instument (courtesy of Florida Institute of Technology), was administered to two high school groups: Jupiter High School students enrolled in the GIS course and Jupiter High School students enrolled in a regular environmental science course using the state-adopted environmental science curriculum. Preliminary results indicate that students who participated in the GIS class were more familiar with ecological issues and foundations than the environmental science group; they also demonstrated improved self-reported behavior on environmental issues, demonstrated a higher awareness in perceived environmental knowledge and action, and were able to conduct a more in-depth environmental issue analysis.

Presentation Format:
Oral Presentation with Transparencies

Dr. Monica Ramirez
Florida Atlantic University
Northern Palm Beach Campus
3970 RCA Blvd., Suite 7000
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(407) 691-8520
FAX: (407) 691-8502
Email: Ramirem2@aol.com