City/State of School, School District, or Group: City of Schenectady, NY; City of Burtonsville, Schoharie Co., NY
Grade level of students you or your educator collaborator work/worked with: 4H geospatial club: 12 to 17 years old; Schoharie River Center, high school students
Subject/topic of class/group you assisted your collaborator with: Assist with mapping technologies, online ArcGIS, GPS use and access to training.
Approximately how many students were engaged in GIS activities through this collaboration: 4H: 10; Schoharie: hope to get 7 to start
How did you connect with your collaborator? 4H Educator contacted me; Schoharie River Center, youth member from 4H invited me by asking for help
Describe your collaboration process. 4H once a month since November the group meets and I support their activities; Schoharie River Center group meets twice a month, I support their mapping needs.
Describe the tasks you assisted your collaborator with. Provide access to software, and training. Provide training for youth. Help with ideas to keep youth interested in geospatial technology.
What available resources, if any, did you use or help your collaborator use to implement GIS in K-12 education? ESRI website and free training. Educators access codes to temporary use of ArcGIS. I also created my own. Have not seen GeoMentors website resources yet.
Did you develop any new educational material or GIS activities through your collaboration? Yes, but not for GIS. I created activities using Google earth and Tour builder which are free.
Did you work directly with students at all, or just with educators? I only worked with students.
What did you gain from the experience? What do you think your educator collaborator and/or the students gained? I have learned a lot from the students by answering problems or helping with technical issues. I have also become a better teacher. This experience has also created a new interest in geography among participating youth which they did not have before.
