Geospatial Semester: a GIS-based in-school spatial curriculum for high school STEM¶

Design · All designs
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The Geospatial Semester is a real-world high school course, first adopted by Virginia high schools in 2005 and now implemented over two semesters, in which students construct and evaluate spatial representations (maps) of real-world geographical datasets using GIS technology. A central component is to develop students' ability to scan maps to identify key spatial features and determine how these features are related across maps, and to foster more frequent use of spatial thinking strategies. Students take the course for either 45 min daily or 90 min every other day and receive college credit from James Madison University, whose faculty mentor the high school teachers. In this study it was the intervention, offered by the schools and completely unaltered by the researchers to ensure ecological validity.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

GIS technology such as ArcGIS
partnership between schools and a university providing technical support and teacher mentoring

Constraints¶

The study reflects an ecologically valid classroom implementation; the curriculum's content focuses on two-dimensional spatial representations

Target Learners¶

high school students

Learning Goals¶

spatial scanning
spatial habits of mind
spatial thinking with geospatial technology

Claims¶

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

Cortes, R. A., Peterson, E. G., Kraemer, D. J. M., Kolvoord, R. A., Uttal, D. H., Dinh, N., Weinberger, A. B., Daker, R. J., Lyons, I. M., Goldman, D., & Green, A. E. (2022). Transfer from spatial education to verbal reasoning and prediction of transfer from learning-related neural change. Science Advances. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abo3555

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`design`
`id`	`geospatial-semester-gis-curriculum`
`title`	`Geospatial Semester: a GIS-based in-school spatial curriculum for high school STEM`
`description`	`The Geospatial Semester is a real-world high school course, first adopted by Virginia high schools in 2005 and now implemented over two semesters, in which students construct and evaluate spatial representations (maps...`
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:settle-candidates` on `2026-10-17`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `cortes-2022`

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