October 25, 2010
Redlands, California—Esri has opened the application period for its third annual Teachers Teaching Teachers GIS (T3G) Institute, to be held at Esri headquarters in Redlands, California, from June 12 to 17, 2011.
Digital maps and globes have become commonplace. The challenge for educators is to guide their students beyond a simple view of the world and into analysis, which is crucial for jobs related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). T3G provides intense training to teachers who want to help other educators use geographic information system (GIS) technology in their classes.
"We're looking for 30 strong candidates for the program this year," says Charlie Fitzpatrick, Esri K–12 Schools solution manager. "Our T3G Institute helps experienced GIS educators turbocharge their skills so that they can help teachers new to GIS. Those teachers can then present their students with better integrated knowledge, powerful career skills, and opportunities for community engagement."
In the weeklong institute, attendees experience the latest developments in GIS education and software. They expand their GIS skills in areas including spatial analysis, data management, and GIS project workflow. T3G participants exchange ideas with peers, learn teaching strategies from top trainers, and develop lasting professional relationships.
"What I liked about T3G was the variety of different instructional strategies," reflects Robert Jones, a retired technology teacher from the Hannibal (New York) School District, who attended T3G 2010. "I learned that there are a lot of simple things you can do to hook people into GIS. I think that the technology has a real role in K–12 education—providing students a glimpse into new careers, examining real-world issues, and making better informed decisions about our world. Being at T3G has enhanced my ability to share that with others."
T3G 2011 is sponsored in part by the National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center), an organization that supports GIS learning initiatives among the higher education community. It is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Additional information, including the application, can be found on the Esri T3G Institute Web site at edcommunity.esri.com/t3g. Applications are due by November 30, 2010, and institute invitations will be sent by December 17.
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