Emerging Geospatial Technologies in Instruction and Research: An Assessment of U.S. and Canadian Geography Departments and Programs

Abstract

Academic geography is the nexus for geospatial learning and research on many college and university campuses. Along with offering courses and programs in established areas such as geographic information systems and remote sensing, geography instruction and research have increasingly used new or emerging geospatial technologies (EGTs) for capturing, processing, and visualizing spatial data. Examples of EGTs include unoccupied aircraft systems, location-based services, and virtual reality devices. Although EGTs are expanding rapidly within higher education institutions, we know less about the nature of their adoption within geography instruction and research. For example, which EGTs are most firmly established and in what project domains (data capture, data analysis, and data delivery) are they used most frequently? In this article, we present findings from a Web-based survey of U.S. and Canadian geography departments and programs aimed at exploring the adoption and use of EGTs. Among other results, our findings suggest that EGTs are often employed across more than one project domain. Along with assessing rates of adoption and frequency of use, we examine sources of funding used in the acquisition of EGTs.