Education in GIS
Authors

Amy E. Frazier

Trisalyn Nelson

Peter Kedron

Eric Shook

Somayeh Dodge

Alan Murray

Michael Goodchild

Sarah Battersby

Justine I. Blanford

Christophe Claramunt

Joseph Holler

Caglar Koylu

Angela Lee

Steven Manson

Seda Şalap-Ayça

John P. Wilson

Bo Zhao

Lauren Bennett

Carmen Cabrera

Rachel Franklin

Grant McKenzie

Harvey Miller

Taylor Oshan

Sergio Rey

Francisco Rowe

Seth Spielman

Wenfei Xu

Published

April 16, 2025

Publication

Abstract

GIS and GIScience education have continually evolved over the past three decades, responding to technological advances and societal issues. Today, the content and context in which GIScience is taught continue to be impacted by these disruptions, notably from technology through artificial intelligence (AI) and society through the myriad environmental and social challenges facing the planet. These disruptions create a new landscape for training within the discipline that is affecting not only what is taught in GIScience courses but also who is taught, why it is being taught, and how it is taught. The aim of this paper is to structure a direction for developing and delivering GIScience education that, amid these disruptions, can generate a capable workforce and the next generation of leaders for the discipline. We present a framework for understanding the various emphases of GIScience education and use it to discuss how the content, audience, and purpose are changing. We then discuss how pedagogical strategies and practices can change how GIScience concepts and skills are taught to train more creative, inclusive, and empathetic learners. Specifically, we focus on how GIScience pedagogy should (1) center on problem-based learning, (2) be open and accelerate open science, and (3) cultivate ethical reasoning and practices. We conclude with remarks on how the principles of GIScience education can extend beyond disciplinary boundaries for holistic spatial training across academia.

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