Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a software tool to help students and teachers learn about the world around them. GIS manages location-based information and provides the tools to display and analyze it, whether the information is population characteristics, economic development opportunities, or vegetation types. GIS is more than computer maps: it gives students the power to link databases to maps and create dynamic displays while providing tools to visualize, query, and overlay the information. Students and teachers can use GIS to understand the complex fabric that is our community and our world. GIS is a tool for studying the world and all that is in it, or was, or could be, at a local, regional, or global level. If you are interested in this unique resource contact Dr. David Wicks at the JCPS Center for Environmental Education at 485-3295 or e-mail at dwicks1@jefferson.k12.ky.us

During the 1999/2000 School year, Dr. Allan Whitworth and Dr. Bob Rodosky chaired a committee to explore the use of GIS in JCPS. We were awarded a grant from ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) called: Livable Communities Grant Series Public and Private School Districts Grant Program. This grant provided JCPS with a district suite of GIS Software. Jerry Cecil with MIS and Mike Broderick with Computer Education Support were named as GIS contacts. Since that time, JCPS has paid for an annual district license. The license allows any JCPS employee to put the software on their work or home machines as long as it is only used for educational purposes. At the same time, LOJIC, or the Louisville Jefferson County Information Consortium, and JCPS entered into an agreement to allow the district to use local data created and maintained by LOJIC for administrative and academic purposes.

Under the direction of Diane Porter, director of the JCPS Office of School to Career Initiatives, the school district applied for a received a grant from the Kentucky Department of Education to establish a GIS Career Pathway at four JCPS high schools–Eastern High School, Jeffersontown High School, Doss High School and Central High School. In addition an eight day module has been developed for all of the middle school tech labs based upon mapping your school site.

Dr. David Wicks is an authorized ESRI –K12 instructor, which allows him access to additional information and discount prices for materials. If you are interested in organizing an 2-hour up to a week long course for your school please contact David Wicks at 485-3295. The University of Louisville Center for GIS is another avenue for additional training. They offer undergraduate GIS courses.

One of the easiest ways to get training is the ESRI virtual campus. As part of the district license, we have free access to have employees or students take these online classes. So far over 100 students or staff have signed up to take these classes. To find out more information or to receive the access codes for individual classes contact Dr. David Wicks.

Here are some great web sites for more information on how to use GIS in the classroom:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech186.shtml

http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues/issues403.shtml