MOTIVATING THE UNMOTIVATED

EXCITING STUDENTS WITH GIS

-Steve Fedor:Digital Earth and Earth Science TeacherWebster Thomas High School & Monroe Community College, NY State

My OccupationalPosition:

CHALLENGES:

G. oneI. n-S. ane?

Objectives:

1) Make Teachers Aware of What GIS Is, And How It Can Be Used.

2) Link The TechnologyTo What Students Are Passionate About.

The Assignment:

1) Call To Mind YourFavorite SubjectArea And/Or Teacher From High School

2) Meet With Him/HerAnd Determine What He/She Would Like Mapped For The Class

3) Create The Digital MapUsing ArcMap And Present It To The Class

RESULTS:

AP Environmental

Teacher Who Was A Boy Scout Leader On The Side:

Physical Education / Swim Coach

Outcome:

1) Multiple Teachers Throughout The Building Now Understand What GIS Is, How It Can Be Beneficial, And Can

Now Recommend The Course To Their Students

2) Students Began To Realize That This Technology Can Literally Be Applied To ANYTHING!! They Became Excited About Applying It To Their Personal Passions And Futures. Most Importantly, They Began To Consider Occupations In

The Field.

P.S. This Assignment Lead To A Student Created Lab Including New Applications That The Students Learned As They Worked Through The

Project.

NOT A TEACHER???NOT A PROBLEM!!!

Teachers Would LOVE Some Interaction And Collaboration With The Professional Community.

-Outreach Department?-Human Relations Committee?

Get A Feeder Program Started In A School Near You. Work With Teachers And Select Students On Map Creation.Offer Students Of Their Choice A Shadowing Opportunity.