Geographic Information Science education at Esri Development Center institutions

• Published in: Transactions in GIS 2022-02, Vol.26 (1), p.341-361
• Main Authors: Curran, Emma E., Bowlick, Forrest J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Colleges & universities; Computer applications; Education; Educational institutions; Geographic information science; Geographic information systems; Geographical information systems; Information technology; Learning; Science education; Students; Technology
• ISSN: 1361-1682; 1467-9671
• DOI: 10.1111/tgis.12858

Geographic Information Science (GIS) is fully embedded as a foundational information technology across domains and areas of practice. With this significance, the nature of the knowledge, skills, and practices in GIS requires regular reflection to quantify how GIS learning is structured, and to understand what the next generation of GIS professionals is learning and needs to learn to continue their geospatial practice. We investigate a subset of academic units classified as Esri Development Centers (DCs) to understand the nature of the teaching and learning in GIS taking place at these institutions. Esri DCs are university departments recognized for GIS excellence and provided with access to specialized Esri software and technology. This article discusses the differences in GIS degree programs offered by Esri DCs both in the United States and Europe, the achievements of students crowned “Esri Development Center Students of the Year” at each qualified university, and the relationships between the student accomplishments, GIS degrees, and GIS courses offered at the university where the project was completed. This research finds a strong relationship between the degree requirements and the focus area of student project winners, and a high representation of computational practices, like coding and geocomputation, in GIS work.