Transcript Geography Matters!

Geography Matters!
Geography is
part of our
everyday lives.
Geographical Information System
(GIS)
Geography is part of our everyday lives. It is an
integral part of our neighborhood, our nation,
our planet. We use it everyday--weather, traffic,
the quality of our water and land, the economy.
software can help learners of all ages grasp the
ways in which geography matters. GIS helps
students and teachers engage in studies that
require and promote critical thinking, integrated
learning, and multiple intelligences, at any
grade level.
Geographical Information System
(GIS)
“A geographic information system (GIS) is a computerbased tool for mapping and analyzing things that exist and
events that happen on Earth. GIS technology integrates
common database operations such as query and statistical
analysis with the unique visualization and geographic
analysis benefits offered by maps. These abilities
distinguish GIS from other information systems and make it
valuable to a wide range of public and private enterprises
for explaining events, predicting outcomes, and planning
strategies."
ESRI, 1997
GIS in K-12 Education
Geography & Earth Sciences (where, what, why)
Ecology (mapping biodiversity, habitat analysis,
species density),
History (Population settlement in the US, Voting
patterns),
Mathematics/statistics (Mapping distribution,
Density, ratio, probability and inference,
sampling, pattern analysis,)
Biology & public health (cluster detection)
Economics and Business (Locating a business,
finding markets, network analysis),
English and literature (understanding the
context)
GIS
can
address
…
•Does it make sense to put a megamall
here?
•Should legislative district boundaries go
here or there?
•Do we expand the existing airport here
or build a new one there?
•Will there be enough schools for students
here in 10 years?
•Which pockets of endangered
environment should we protect?
GIS can address …
•What is the impact of waste facilities on
local health patterns?
•Where might restocking of native species
be environmentally wise?
•Are we adequately prepared to service
the local and surrounding population in
the event of various possible disasters?
Produce Travel Maps
Find the best facility locations
Analyze Sales by ZIP Code
Use Aerial and Satellite Images
Range: 12-75%
12% = Essex
75% = Marblehead
Perform Nationwide Demographic Analysis
Visualize Data Geographically
Urban Resources
Management and
Environmental
Monitoring Via GIS
Software Technologies
Visualize Data Geographically
GPS
The Global Positioning System is an earth-orbitingsatellite based system that provides signals available
anywhere on or above the earth, twenty-four hours a
day, that can be used to determine precise time and the
position of a GPS receiver in three dimensions.
GPS is funded by and controlled by the U. S.
Department of Defense (DOD) but can used by
civilians for georeferencing, positioning, navigation,
and for time and frequency control.
GPS is increasingly used as an input for Geographic
Information Systems particularly for precise
positioning of geospatial data and the collection of data
in the field.
GPS
GPS/GIS mapping helps narrow search for shuttle
debris
My research
Local Spatial Autocorrelation:
Illicit Drug Use Other than Marijuana
in the Past Month by Age
Ages 12-17
Ages 18-25
Ages 26 and Older
Legend
High 99% CI
High 95% CI
Low 95% CI
Low 99% CI
Based on 999 permutations
No Significant Results at the State Level
Global UV Exposure
July 1999
December 1999
Paletta &
Gopal