iSTEM: Integrating Humanities and STEM Classrooms Using GIS Technology

PROJECT SUMMARY: In partnership between Albemarle County, Charlottesville City, Greene County, Madison County, and Orange County Public Schools (VA), this project has developed a series of geospatial technology syllabi that 1) provide best practice models to geospatial training at the secondary level, 2) integrate school and private sector hosts for the application of these geospatial skills 3) develop a working relationship with university and community college partners to vertically design curriculum and placement, and 4) create sustainable partnerships between the major partners in a way that extends these courses and those trained students into a regional dissemination.

Our intent has been to create a course syllabus and design that addresses the following conceptual and instructional goals:

• To explicitly integrate STEM and humanities content and training with classroom practice through teacher-created materials that are disseminated through the partnership
• To explore the use of innovative technology, hands-on inquiry models, and experiential scientific fieldwork to provide best practice bridges between humanities and STEM content
• To support new student-based initiatives that extend this professional development training to career advancement and training

To collaborate with regional and national partners in order to emphasize this interdisciplinary approach to education
Rather than an intellectual exercise, this program aligns scholars, teachers, and students in a self-referencing model in which real classroom application will be the primary outcome.

FUNDING & SUPPORT: Funding was made possible by Battelle Foundation and Charlottesville City Schools (VA).

Team Biosketches

Christine Esposito

Trevor Przyuski