Latest Contributions by TomBaker

In January, Esri partner PASCO released a new wireless weather sensor.  It collects temperature, humidity, UV, wind, and more.  The sensor also has a GPS!  The  folks at PASCO then embedded ArcGIS Online into their SparkVUE software that manages the sensors and allows for data analysis and visualization.  Of course, you can always export your weather data to CSV, GPX, or KML and load into into a map at ArcGIS.com. Explore the sensor at: Wireless Weather Sensor with GPS - PS-3209: PASCO   - Esri Schools Program ... View more

We are seeking educators who are willing to let their students take an online spatial “Habits of Mind” survey.    To be considered eligible for the survey, teachers must have: delivered one or more Esri GeoInquiries using direct instruction to a class of students during 2017-2018 taught in middle or high school   We will need to know how many times you taught with GeoInquiries (or GIS) using a direct instruction model.  It doesn’t matter if the map was on a projector or on students’ devices.   Students can take the survey online any time before June 15.  No personally identifiable information is asked of students in this 28-item multiple choice survey.  This survey was developed at a U.S. university and has been used with other high school students learning with GIS.   If you are willing and able to allow your students to participate: Email geoinquiries@esri.com indicating your interest. Indicate in the email: The number of times you taught with GeoInquiries this school year (list per class period)   The number of times you used GIS in class The number of students that will likely complete the survey   Upon receiving your email, we will: Add your state and the first few letters of your last name (eg “KS_Ba”) to the “teacher last name” question. When your students take the survey, they will select your designator. Send to you the URL to the survey.   Thank you for considering this request.  These kinds of surveys help us understand how to improve our offerings to the K12 community.     The Esri Schools Program geoinquiries@esri.com ... View more

A new collection of GeoInquiries for social studies classrooms is under development and is expected to release for public beta testing during May.  Follow this page for updates.  If you would like to sign-up as a beta tester with your students, email geoinquiries@esri.com  ... View more

The Role of Place, Geography, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Educational Research Special Topic Editors: Andrew Saultz and Bryan Mann This publication opportunity may be of interest: AREA_GIS_CallForPapers.pdf ... View more

While GIS analyst and developer careers are readily available, the bulk of professional GIS users are in geo-enabled careers – like civil engineering.  Join the Esri Education Outreach team and Strivven Media’s Virtual Job Shadow as we explore the career field of civil engineering – focusing on storm water management. Be sure to share this and all of the career videos with your students!    Sara loved buildings as a girl and planned to become an architect. In college, she discovered art didn't interest her as much as science, math and GIS so she switched to civil engineering. Watch her video to see why she loves being a civil engineer!   Civil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment. Many civil engineers work in design, construction, research, and education.   Watch the civil engineer video >> ... View more

EUROGEO will publish its first book in collaboration with Springer International. The title is GEOSPATIAL CHALLENGES IN THE 21ST CENTURY. We invite those who research in this area to declare their interest to write a chapter for this publication.   Submission Procedure: Chapter proposal submissions are invited from researchers by September 25, 2017. Proposals should be limited to between 300-500 words, explaining the mission and concerns of the chapter and how it fits into the general theme of the book. Chapter proposals must be sent by email to Rafael de Miguel: rafaelmg@unizar.es ... View more

[Reposted from the Esri EdCommunity blog, April 28, 2015] For the past few years, eight educational researchers have been working to produce the first pre-collegiate agenda for guiding research in geospatial technology education and learning.  The product of that labor has recently been published in the Journal of Geography from the National Council for Geographic Education. Abstract:  Knowledge around geospatial technologies and learning remains sparse, inconsistent, and overly anecdotal. Studies are needed that are better structured; more systematic and replicable; attentive to progress and findings in the cognate fields of science, technology, engineering, and math education; and coordinated for multidisciplinary approaches. A proposed agenda is designed to frame the next generation of research in this field, organized around four foci: (1) connections between GST and geospatial thinking; (2) learning GST; (3) curriculum and student learning through GST; and (4) educators’ professional development with GST. Recommendations for advancing this agenda are included. Author information, metadata, and sample information can be found online  at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265432663_A_Research_Agenda_for_Geospatial_Technologies_and_Learning ... View more

This month’s theme focuses on instructional content typically taught during Autumn, while reminding us that human advancement seldom occurs without struggle.   American Literature: Poe & the Red Death Beyond religion: Scarlet Letter   AP Human Geography: Understanding globalization USA demographics   AP Environmental Science Population dynamics Megacities   Earth Science Topography and our national heritage Remote sensing (the Oso landslide)   Elementary Settlement patterns Time zones   Mathematics Rates and proportions: Lost beach Linear rate of change: Steady (population) growth   US History The war before independence (American Revolution) The second American Revolution (1812)   World History Medieval Europe: Invasions The Crusades ... View more

Advancing STEM Education with GIS - Geographic information systems can engage several critical elements in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) curriculum and instruction. GIS tools and techniques lead to understanding cross-disciplinary phenomena and solving problems rooted in academic and realworld concepts. ... View more

While it's no longer in print, educators can still download and print the "GIS and STEM careers" poster from Esri.   The PDF is attached to this blog post. ... View more

Explore the Careers with GIS section of the K12 ArcGIS Online Organization.  What else should be there? ... View more

The human impact of the natural disasters occurring in North America in the last few weeks has been staggering – the result of a complex story of earth’s natural systems and human activities.  Independent of the subject you may teach, consider these pre-built activities, maps, and data to support your inquiry into earth’s systems with your students.   American Literature Hurricane warning!   Mathematics How much rain? Linear equations Rates of population change Perpendicular bisectors   Social studies Exploring elevation with Lewis and Clark (elementary) Climate (elementary) USA demographics M2L1 – The Earth moves M7L2 – In the eye of the storm   Science Where does the water go?  (elementary) Climate (elementary) Weather forecasting  (elementary) Seismic events: natural hazards (elementary) Cracked plates The Earth moves under our feet Fluid Earth: winds and currents Tropical storms Climate change ... View more