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Innovation Program of the Detroit Public SchoolsFuture GIOs in the Making!An innovation program of the Detroit Public Schools (DPS), the Detroit Academy for Geospatial Sciences and Technologies (AGST), is helping to train tomorrow's GIS professionals—perhaps even some geographic information officers (GIOs) of the future. The AGST is an earn-and-learn academic/career technical education program. With support from local Businesses and individuals, students, teachers, and administrators collaborated this summer in the unique project. The curriculum introduced students to a technology-based education that included hands-on experience with GIS, global positioning systems, and geospatial data. The students helped the DPS Operations Division convert a variety of facilities management records from paper to electronic format and integrated the information into the DPS geographic decision support system. AGST student workers learned to design and build Microsoft Access databases, and using Esri's ArcView GIS software, they integrated databases and map facilities. Along with a valuable academic education, the students received on-the-job training, which will help them to become good employees. The program fostered teamwork, communication, teaching, problem solving, and quality assurance—important assets for seeking employment in the real world. For more information, contact Randall Raymond of the Department of Strategic Planning and Resource Analysis, Detroit Public Schools (tel.: 313-494-1336, e-mail: aerraymond@aol.com). |
