High School Students' Experiences with Geographic Information Systems and Factors Predicting Enrollment in the Geospatial Semester. Issue 6 (25th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peterson, Emily Grossnickle; Kolvoord, Bob; Uttal, David H.; Green, Adam E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of geography. Volume 119:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 238
• Page End: 247
• Publication Date: 2020-09-25
• Subjects: GIS -- high school -- secondary education -- sex differences -- geographic education; Geography -- Periodicals; Geography -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 910.71
• DOI: 10.1080/00221341.2020.1824009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1341

Abstract

Abstract: The goal of the present study was to characterize high school students' (n = 338) exposure to geospatial technologies and investigate factors predicting enrollment in a GIS course. Students who reported using GIS were almost 10 times more likely to enroll than students without experience using GIS. Males were more than 3 times more likely to enroll than females. Spatial skills, but not beliefs about spatial ability, also predicted enrollment. These results underscore the importance of providing opportunities for students to use geospatial technologies as a pathway to students' future learning and training for GIS related careers.