Survey Summary
GIS Survey Results Summary: Convenience sampling of people engaged in ETAP 623 for Spring 2021 at U Albany (R = 8).
1) Awareness of GIS programs and applications. All respondents were aware of popular applications such as Google Earth and Google maps, and a majority with GPS (Global Positioning Systems). Over half had heard of ‘Geocaching’, an activity whereby hand-held GPS units or given locational coordinates are used to find caches in the real-world or online (geographic scavenger hunt). Only one respondent was aware of ArcGIS, one of the most popular commercial GIS programs, while two respondents were aware of two lesser-known GIS applications, MapInfo and Remote Sensing (use of satellite imagery for analysis). Two respondents were aware of Web Maps, which are widely used to display information on websites.
2) GIS program and application usage. There was a slight decline in GIS usage from the numbers reported in Question #1, which suggests that most respondent who were aware of a GIS-based program or application also use them.
3) GIS utilized in any academic setting. Only one respondent answered this question in the affirmative, stating that they used ‘Google earth or maps for a social studies and computer lesson’ in Middle School. No respondent reported using a GIS at the collegiate level, which tracks with national and state reported data.
4) Have you ever utilized a GIS program or application in your own instructional practice? Half of respondents (four) stated they have not used a GIS in an instructional capacity. One respondent reported using Geocaching with Boy Scouts and in a 6th Grade Science course. Another reported using Google Maps and Google Earth in several elementary classes to “better understand where a specific country is in comparison to the school as well as showing how cultural norms have 'travelled' across the world in middle school classes”. Two respondents reported using GIS multiple times to reference historical sites, one in connection to digital literacy activities, and the other to locate ancient civilizations.
5) Given the description of GIS offered at the beginning of the survey, respondents were asked their opinion on how useful GIS could be in their instruction. A majority (seven) responded that they thought GIS would be a useful tool. Concern over access and usage were raised, with free tools seen as an important factor in GIS usage in the classroom, which is reflected in the research. One respondent saw a direct usage of GIS to teach during their geography unit, while another thought that GIS could be useful "in social studies because it gives us the ability to show students places on a map, instead of using google images, we could in a way explore the area we're talking about". Finally, one respondent remarked that “the activities that I've done in the past were a personal choice as an educator - these tools are not mandatory for my instruction. However, I chose them because they helped to bring different subjects to "life" for my students. I would love to learn about different types of GIS programs to see if there are other similar opportunities to integrate in my instruction”. This statement summarizes much in how GIS in the classroom has been documented in the research literature – those educators who utilize GIS often do so on their own, with little institutional support.
6) Given the description of GIS offered at the beginning of the survey, respondents were asked to give their opinion on what instructional contexts they thought GIS would be most applicable. Unsurprisingly, the use of GIS for mapping-related activities and lessons were offered, though with a few twists. One respondent linked GIS usage to cartography, stating it would be a “good use within the art class room”. Another respondent reported that GIS would be applicable to Earth science and another to social studies, which are common contexts; however, a third stated that they saw applicability at the first grade level with the use of maps. One respondent reported the possibility of using GIS to demonstrate concepts and then “then transition to having students use it. GIS could be used in my content area when studying coordinate planes, civilizations, geography, etc. The possibilities are endless.” Similarly, another respondent reported using GIS in their Library Media and Gifted and Talented programs, stating that “I think it could be used in so many content areas: English Language Arts, Social Studies, Language & Cultural studies, Science and Engineering of course....”. The responses to Question #6 reflect the broad appeal and applicability of geographic information and GIS across disciplines and subjects seen in the research literature.
7) Would respondents be inclined to use GIS in their own instructional practice or, if already in use, used more is the resources were open-sourced? All eight survey takers responded in the affirmative to this question, with two reporting that they are supporters of open-source/free resources. One respondent commented that they would be interested in utilizing open-sourced GIS tools, though they were “not sure how [they] would do that”. This last comment is also reflective of a general willingness to learn and use GIS in the classroom; however, a lack of confidence in educator abilities or institutional support are seen as constraints.