Roles for GIS within higher education

Abstract

The use and awareness of GIS is steadily increasing across institutions of higher education in the United States. With this popular growth comes an opportunity to establish greater awareness of mapping, spatial reasoning and geography in general. Many colleges and universities pursue and support active and problem-based learning approaches, undergraduate research programmes, and service-learning and civic-engagement activities. General education courses are commonplace. By integrating GIS into these educational objectives, learning approaches and common curricula we create richer, more fulfilling educational experiences that profile the power of geography's spatial perspective. At the same time we create opportunities for geographers and GIScientists to consider new and innovative ways in which maps are being used. © 2009 Taylor & Francis.