Learning to Think Spatially.Pdf

LEARNING TOTHINK SPATIALLY Committee on Support for Thinking Spatially: The Incorporation of Geographic Information Science Across the K–12 Curriculum Geographical Sciences Committee Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Division on Earth and Life Studies THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS • 500 Fifth Street, N.W., • Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This study was supported by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Department of Interior/U.S. Geologi- cal Survey Grant No. 00HQAG0011, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Grant No. NAG5-9857, National Geographic Society Education Foundation Grant No. 200-0123, and National Science Foundation Grant No. BCS-0076284. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Learning to think spatially : GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-309-09208-6 (pbk.) — ISBN 0-309-53191-8 (PDF) 1. Space perception—Study and teaching. 2. Geographic information systems. I. National Academies Press (U.S.) BF723.S63L43 2006 370.15′2—dc22 2005032115 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu. Cover designed by Van Nguyen. Photo © Blauel/Gnamm—ARTOTHEK. Courtesy of the Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt. Copyright 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad- emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medi- cine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. www.national-academies.org SUPPORT FOR THINKING SPATIALLY: THE INCORPORATION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE ACROSS THE K–12 CURRICULUM ROGER M. DOWNS, Chair, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park SARAH WITHAM BEDNARZ, Texas A & M University, College Station ROBERT A. BJORK, University of California, Los Angeles PETER B. DOW, First Hand Learning, Inc., Buffalo, New York KENNETH E. FOOTE, University of Colorado, Boulder J. FREEMAN GILBERT, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla REGINALD G. GOLLEDGE, University of California, Santa Barbara KIM A. KASTENS, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York GAEA LEINHARDT (member until February 28, 2002), University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania LYNN S. LIBEN, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park MARCIA C. LINN, University of California, Berkeley JOHN J. RIESER, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee GERALD M. STOKES, University of Maryland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, College Park BARBARA TVERSKY, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California National Research Council Staff ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources KRISTEN L. KRAPF, Program Officer (until November 2004) YVONNE P. FORSBERGH, Research Assistant (until November 2002) MONICA R. LIPSCOMB, Research Assistant (until June 2004) VERNA J. BOWEN, Financial and Administrative Associate RADHIKA S. CHARI, Senior Project Assistant (from November 2002 to November 2003) AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Program Assistant (from April 2004) TERESIA K. WILMORE, Project Assistant (from November 2003 to April 2004) iv GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCES COMMITTEE ROGER M. DOWNS, Chair, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park BRIAN J. L. BERRY, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson SUSAN L. CUTTER, University of South Carolina, Columbia RUTH S. DEFRIES, University of Maryland, College Park WILLIAM E. EASTERLING III, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PATRICIA GOBER, Arizona State University, Tempe MICHAEL F. GOODCHILD, University of California, Santa Barbara SUSAN HANSON, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts JONATHAN D. MAYER, University of Washington, Seattle EMILIO F. MORAN, Indiana University, Bloomington DAVID L. SKOLE, Michigan State University, East Lansing National Research Council Staff HEDY J. ROSSMEISSL, Senior Scholar VERNA J. BOWEN, Financial and Administrative Associate v BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Chair, University of Virginia, Charlottesville M. LEE ALLISON, Office of the Governor, Topeka, Kansas STEVEN R. BOHLEN, Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Washington, D.C. ADAM M. DZIEWONSKI, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts KATHERINE H. FREEMAN, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park RHEA L. GRAHAM, Pueblo of Sandia, Bernalillo, New Mexico ROBYN HANNIGAN, Arkansas State University, State University V. RAMA MURTHY, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis RAYMOND A. PRICE, Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada MARK SCHAEFER, NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia STEVEN M. STANLEY, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland BILLIE L. TURNER II, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts STEPHEN G. WELLS, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada THOMAS J. WILBANKS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee National Research Council Staff ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director DAVID A. FEARY, Senior Program Officer ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer RONALD F. ABLER, Senior Scholar ELIZABETH A. EIDE, Senior Program Officer HEDY J. ROSSMEISSL, Senior Scholar ANN G. FRAZIER, Program Officer SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Program Officer TANJA E. PILZAK, Research Associate CAETLIN M. OFIESH, Research Assistant VERNA J. BOWEN, Financial and Administrative Associate JENNIFER T. ESTEP, Financial Associate JARED P. ENO, Program Assistant JAMES B. DAVIS, Program Assistant AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Program Assistant vi Acknowledgments This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Tanya M. Atwater, University of California, Santa Barbara Victor R. Baker, University of Arizona, Tucson Angelo Collins, Knowles Science Teaching Foundation, Haddonfield, New Jersey Mary D. Gunnels, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C. Mary Hegarty, University of California, Santa Barbara Roberta L. Klatzky, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh,

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