We’ve received quite a few nominations for outstanding students to tell their story during the “Celebrating Student Success” plenary session at the 2013 Esri Education GIS Conference in San Diego. To give as many students and alumni as possible a chance to participate, we’re happy to extend the due date for submissions to Tuesday, April 30. Nomination guidelines are published at our “Share Your Story” web site.

Dr. Kim Kastens

Student success is the overarching goal of all educational activity. The goal of this plenary session is to inform and inspire by showcasing best practices in GIS education from learners’ perspectives. Following opening remarks by a distinguished speaker, exemplary students and educators from a variety of educational settings will share key factors that contributed to their success.

We’re delighted to announce that the opening speaker for our Student Success plenary will be Dr. Kim Kastens. Kim is Distinguished Scholar and Principal Scientist in the Learning and Teaching Division of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC). She brings over 20 years of experience as a natural scientist and extensive expertise in deepening understanding of the Earth and environment through teaching, curriculum development, professional development, and research on learning.

Kim is a 2009 recipient of the American Geophysical Union’s national Award for Excellence in Geophysical Education. Her projects include the National Science Foundation initiative Making Meaning of Geoscience Data: A Challenge at the Intersection of Geosciences and Cognitive Sciences. Her books and journal articles address tectonic and sedimentary Earth processes and thinking and learning in science education.

Before joining EDC, Kim served as a Lamont Research Professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. She received her BA in Geology & Geophysics from Yale University and her PhD in Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

EDC’s Learning and Teaching Division works in partnership with government agencies, foundations, districts, and community programs to expand opportunities for children, adolescents, and adults—at home, at school, and at work—and to improve the institutions that serve them.

David DiBiase, Esri’s Director of Education Industry Solutions, kicked off the first plenary session of the 2012 Education GIS Conference this morning in San Diego. David introduced the conference theme – “Education Community 20.2 – the Next Generation of GIS Education.” He pointed out that 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of several relevant milestones. One was the development of the first World Wide Web browser with a graphical user interface. Another milestone was the coining of the term “Geographic Information Science” by Michael Goodchild. A third was Esri’s launch of ArcView 1.0, and Jack Dangermond’s founding of the Esri Education Program, both in 1992.

David asked the audience reflect on how much has changed in our field since 1992. He argued that the convergence of three trends now creates the condition of possibility for a new generation in GIS education. The first trend is greater ease of use and accessibility of GIS technology and data, exemplified by ArcGIS Online and Esri Community Analyst. A second trend is the emergence of mapping technologies as pervasive and cool – a trend some have called the “geospatial revolution.” Finally, David spoke about the democratization of education, observing that:

Cloud-based media-sharing platforms enable learners to become producers, not just consumers, of educational resources. Social movements like the Open Badges initiative empower any organization to assess and recognize educational achievement. An era of volunteered geographic education has begun. Our challenge is to harness these social trends to advance educational access and quality.

To prepare for the next generation of GIS education, David announced that the first Education Community Advisory Board would convene during the conference. The Board’s purpose is to help Esri’s Education Team make sure that its strategic priorities align with the Community’s. He stressed Esri’s commitment to be a trusted partner that supports the Education Community – including learners as well as educators – as it enters a new era.

Following his introductory remarks, David invited comments from the audience throughout the plenary session, and facilitated discussion between the audience and plenary speakers at the end.

Tomorrow, Saturday July 21 marks the kick-off of the 2012 Esri Education GIS Conference at the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina. The event with its record-breaking registration, starts promptly at 8:30am in Salons D & E of the south tower on level 3 (take the escalator next to the Starbuck’s in the lobby).

Check-in
If you have already registered, received a confirmation email, and do not need to make a payment, you may check in and pick up your conference badge at the Marriott Marina Foyer in the South Tower on level three on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. A photo ID is required for badge pick-up, and a $20 fee will be assessed for any lost badge. It is recommended that you bring a copy of your confirmation email to expedite your check-in process. If you have not yet registered or need to change an existing registration or make a payment, please visit the Onsite Registration area in the San Diego Convention Center in Hall E. Learn more here.

Special Events
The Saturday Plenary (8:30 – 10:00) will be hosted by David DiBiase and include speakers Daniel Edelson from National Geographic, Richard Serby from Geosearch, and Diana Sinton from the University of Redlands. Later Saturday morning, Julian Rotich, co-founder and Executive Director of Ushahidi will be presenting.

Making the Most of the Event
Concurrent sessions, computer labs, and technical sessions run throughout the day. Check the online agenda for scheduling. And be sure to visit the GIS Solutions EXPO launch at 4:30pm for the day’s finale!

Plug-in to the EdUC’s social media channels:

1. Esri Education Community blog
2. Twitter with #esriEduc
3. Flickr images tagged with #esrieduc