NSFGRACE

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The GIS/T Resources and Applications for Career Education (GRACE) project is a model for GIS/T-based education. GIS/T tools provide the perfect environment for implementing three-dimensional learning opportunities that entwine scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas throughout one learning experience. The project's objective, through GIS/T lessons in the classroom, is to prepare youth in economically disadvantaged communities for the prospect of careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). In this project, this model will be taken to 60 schools, 120 teachers and 5,000 students using a three-tiered learning process.

The Explorer level introduces students to GIS/T through an online system that builds the students’ basic understanding of GIS/T and stimulates student curiosity.

The Investigator level leverages the students’ curiosity and interest and prepares them to work with GIS/T lesson modules that are designed to emphasize science and engineering practices that align with the Michigan standards for teaching these subjects.

The Intern level provides students with professional GIS/T training via Esri Virtual Campus courses and then provides opportunities to gain work experiences in local organizations as Qualified Interns.

GRACE VIDEO (link) http://resourcecenters2015.videohall.com/presentations/555

GRACE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT INTERNS

The GRACE PROJECT provides students with professional GIS/T training and opportunities to gain work experiences in local organizations as Interns.
For further information for Student Interns, go to HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (INTERNS) HELPDESK .

GRACE PROJECT TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ^New

The goal for this NSF funded project is to provide Professional Development training for 120 teachers so that they can integrate GIS/T into STEM and social studies curriculums thereby exposing 5,000 Explorers, creating 2,500 Investigators and ultimately producing 300-500 qualified GIS/T interns. The project period is September 2014 - August 2018. The GRACE PD Team has exceeded these numbers at this time. There is an online professional development course, "Using Geographic Information System (GIS) in Your School and Community", which could be offered for interested groups of teachers through Michigan Virtual’s Professional Learning Portal. An informational flyer about this course is available by clicking this LINK. If this is of interest, contact Dr. Peggy Gaskill at pgaskill@michiganvirtual.org

GEOMENTORS/COMMUNITY

GIS professionals can help educators and students learn to use GIS. A GeoMentor is a volunteer who can help a teacher build capacity to help his/her students use GIS. The coaching and mentoring from professionals is designed to foster students’ interests in STEM learning and GIS careers.

MiCAMP – Michigan Communities Association of Mapping Professionals (http://micamp.org/) is primarily responsible for organizing GIS professional mentors, placing student interns, and leveraging community support to establishing regional learning clusters in cooperation with MMSCN.

MVU – Michigan Virtual (https://michiganvirtual.org/) is committed to the development of both students and educators. Michigan Virtual provides a multitude of tools, ranging from online courses and blended learning to face-to-face professional development and resources for educators and parents.

MMSCN – http://www.mimathandscience.org/ There are 33 regional Centers in the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network. These centers provide leadership, curriculum support, professional development, and student services to educators in local school districts.

LEARNING CLUSTERS - The GRACE team, through MiCAMP and MMSCN, will organize interested math-science centers (MSC), school districts (SD), and communities into geographically adjacent learning clusters. Each learning cluster (community) will consist of one MSC, two to three SDs, and five to six GIS/T user organizations and companies.

GRACE : GIS/T Resources & Applications for Career Education