Often when introducing GIS to teachers, sharing the value of maps and the potential career impacts for their students, their response is "OK how do I bring this to my students?" The free, online, asynchronous GIS I Module is the answer to that question - and this hands-on GIS curriculum is now available!
The GIS I Module, an introduction to GIS for High School Students & Educators, brings a hands-on GIS curriculum to the classroom without requiring the teacher to have GIS experience. Each of the 10 lessons opens with a video to introduce concepts, includes a hands-on exercise for practice applying the skills, and has a quiz to check for student understanding. Each lesson takes about 45 minutes to complete, fitting well into a class period. A complementary teacher guide provides tips and guidance for educators.
The module was made possible through a partnership between the Esri Education team and the University of Redlands Institute for Geospatial Impact to adapt the university's Intro to GIS course into an online offering targeting high school learners.
Thank you @JuliaLenhardt for your work and dedication to bring this to life! This was a wonderful partnership experience.
This module is currently in beta as we improve it based on teacher feedback. All lessons, videos, and exercises are ready to use and the software is fully released. But we want your feedback! Is this something you can use with your classes? Is there a teacher you want to share this with? Comment below or send us an email!
Interested in learning more?
Webinar
September 23, 2026 we are hosting a webinar introducing the module. Join us.
Cohort of educators
We are looking for at least 25 educators to be part of a community of practice. Participants will work through the module at their own pace, providing feedback and exploring how to integrate the module into their classrooms. The cohort runs through late October and is supported by the University of Redlands and Esri. Members have access to office hours and a listserv for interaction within the cohort and with the hosts. The first 10 educators to complete the module and provide their feedback will get a custom map of their school area!
Join the cohort by emailing gis1module@redlands.edu.
