Schedule and assignments summary
This page provides a summary of the workshop schedule with links to program and assignment pages that will have more details as they become available.
Registration confirmation and payment
You must confirm your registration in the workshop by filling out the online registration form by the close of business on
Monday, February 21. You must also pay the workshop registration fee via our online payment page unless you are from a developing country, in which case we have waived your registration fee.
Pre-workshop assignment
In the
pre-workshop assignment, you will explore the existing GIS/RS resources on the
Cutting Edge web site, introduce yourself on the discussion board, and (if you are participating in the virtual kickoff) test drive the Elluminate screen sharing system.
Must be completed by March 11 at 6 pm EDT.
Workshop kick-off
Participants will attend either the virtual kickoff on March 13 or the face-to-face kickoff on March 19:
- Sunday, March 13 (2-6 pm EDT): Virtual kickoff using Elluminate screen sharing and phone audio.
- Saturday, March 19, 2011 (8:30-5:00 pm): Face-to-face kickoff at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. We will be meeting in the Frick Room on the Conference level. Please bring a laptop.
During these two sessions, participants will consider the
"ideal outcomes" list developed during the summer 2010 GIS/RS workshop, set goals for their own courses/activities/modules, discuss challenges and strategies for meeting the goals, and provide feedback to other participants.
Assignment #1
Between the March and April synchronous sessions, participants will work individually to revise goals, post feedback on other participants' ideas, and post ideas for geo-themed case examples.
April session (Saturday, April 9, 2011, 2-6 pm EDT)
This online session will include a presentation on effective assignment and activity design for GIS and RS courses, discussion on designing effective assignments and activities for the geo-themed case example ideas brainstormed in Assignment #1, and a presentation on the role of student motivations and learning strategies in course and assignment design.
Optional webinars in April
Two optional 1-hour webinars will take place between the April and May sessions. Topics and dates TBA.
Assignment #2
Between the April and May synchronous sessions, participants will work individually on the outline of an effective assignment/activity and post feedback on other participants' ideas. Those working on a course will work on a skeleton outline for the course and post feedback on other participants' outlines.
May session (Saturday, May 7, 2011, 2-6 pm EDT)
This online session will include highlighting the best ideas from each of the working groups, a presentation on effective assessment, discussion of strategies for structuring independent projects and for preparing students to handle changes in the future prepare, and a presentation with topic TBA. Participants will set goals for summer work.
Optional webinar in May
One optional 1-hour webinar will take place after the May session. Topics and dates TBA.
Assignment #3
Over the summer, participants will work individually on their courses/activities. Participants will also submit reviews of 4 activities that are in the current GIS/RS assignments and activities collection. Before the August wrap-up session, participants must submit at least one assignment/activity of their own to the collection (preferably one developed during this workshop), and the syllabus for a GIS or remote sensing course.
August session (Saturday, August 27, 2011, 2-6 pm EDT)
This online session will feature an electronic poster session showcasing work that participants have done over the summer.
GSA Workshop (Saturday, October 8, 2011, 8:30-5:00 CDT)
This one-day workshop at the Minneapolis GSA meeting will be open to anyone who wants to register, and the workshop will showcase exemplary ways of teaching geoscience using GIS and remote sensing. We hope that as many of our workshop participants as possible will be able to attend, and we will have a post-workshop reception for all workshop participants. We realize, however, that not all will be able to attend.
