NR505 Student Demonstration Projects

Introduction

GIS is touted as being an important tool for data dissemination, integration and decision making. Desk-top GIS, web GIS, and open source resources are making GIS applications more available. All levels of education have been incorporating GIS projects and activities into their curriculum.

Each semester students of my NR505 class partner with a conservation or education organization to devise web-based GIS applications that demonstrate the utility and analysis capabilities of geographic information systems (GIS). Our task is to demonstrate how GIS can support data analysis based upon the existing data and other ancillary data collected from the Internet. The partner organization uses final student projects to assist in meeting their conservation and educational goals.

I hope these demonstrations prove educational to my students and valuable to partners and stakeholders alike. ~ Dr. Melinda Laituri

Past Projects

Colorado State University (CSU) and Poudre School District (PSD)

One of the problems facing the use of spatial information technologies in the classroom is the availability of teacher training and time to develop appropriate lessons and exercises for students. To address this problem, the CSU-PSD Partnership was established. In June 1997, a workshop was held at CSU to introduce and demonstrate to teachers spatial information technologies, to explore potential avenues for implementation in K-12 classrooms, and to identify K-12 partners for a pilot project to be conducted during the fall semester of 1997.

Using the graduate class "NR 505 - Concepts in GIS" as the vehicle for collaboration, graduate students were partnered with K-12 participants to design exercises using spatial information technology in the classroom. Graduate students worked in teams of two and were partnered with seven different teachers to create hands-on exercises using such tools as GIS, RS, and GPS. Graduate students worked with K-12 partners to determine topics, content, and questions to be answered - keeping in mind the geography standards.

Colorado State University (CSU) and GLOBE

This semester we are partnering with the GLOBE Project to devise web-based GIS applications that demonstrate to the GLOBE community the utility and analysis capabilities of geographic information systems. We will take on the role of consultants for the GLOBE project. Our task is to demonstrate how GIS can support data analysis based upon the existing GLOBE data and other ancillary data to be collected from the Internet. Representatives from the GLOBE project will meet with us early in the semester.

Colorado State University (CSU) and the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Our proposed research has several integrated educational and policy components. In terms of education, three high school teacher workshops will demonstrate the use of web based GIS models to actively engage high school seniors (and their teachers) in Puerto Rico and Colorado in biocomplexity research. Undergraduate research assistants and development of inter-university graduate seminars In biocomplexity. These inter-university, multi-year seminars will directly engage students, CO-PI's, and managers in the implementation and integration of interdisciplinary research. Graduate students at University of Puerto Rico will obtain field data on ecological and economic values of rivers in Puerto Rico . Our results will also provide information on the consequences of building new roads and closing existing roads. The results of this integrated model will be shared with planners and stakeholders in a series of workshops. Our findings regarding how individual/agent-based models are effective in integrating and visualizing feedback from physical, biological and social network interactions will be disseminated to the scientific community by an organized symposium at a national or international professional meeting. The methodology developed will have broad applicability to coastal-montane ecosystems ranging from North America to New Zealand.

Colorado State University (CSU) and the National Park Service (NPS)

Geographic information systems (GIS) are still an unknown environment to many people. This web site is designed to show case GIS capabilities through projects developed by CSU students for the National Park Service. Each project will demonstrate some type of GIS analysis targeted for the general public, for example, to illustrate likely ranges for certain animals or indicate trails with certain physical characteristics.

Colorado State University (CSU) and The Murulle Foundation (TMF)

Colorado State University partnered with The Murulle Foundation for the Fall 2008 semester to create online GIS demonstration projects that illustrate the utility and analysis capabilities of geographic information systems (GIS). Our goal was to have students demonstrate how GIS can support data analysis based upon existing data and other ancillary data available online. The Murulle Foundation plans on using these final student projects as inspiration for creating and disseminating GIS learning modules to Ethiopian land managers.

 

Updated: August 29, 2009 © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80522 USA