ECOLOGY AND COMMUNITY: ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES WITH GIS

The artful combination of visual technology and traditional pedagogy create an engaging approach that revitalizes geography/ecology lessons by using by using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This approach combines the significance of basic map-making skills, the science of ecology, and community awareness to examine the environmental growth implications that dictate public policy. Using the City of Austin as a case study, the UT Environmental Science Institute GK-12 Program developed a project that contains several stages of interdisciplinary study. Stage one uses a two-dimensional approach to learning about the ecology of the surrounding community. Here students establish points of reference for the community by mapping local landmarks and determining their distances from each other and the school. By using basic ecology, they begin to define the area in terms of the natural resources and their significance to the community. Finally, working in teams they begin mapping their community on paper. In stage two, students develop their schema by examining formal maps of Austin and discussing those essential elements of cartography. Students learn to identify symbology and begin to relate their community to the City of Austin at large. Stage three specifically examines hydrology. Through a series of labs students will examine local creeks, the Colorado River, and groundwater resources (Edwards Aquifer). They will study the impact of population on the future of water resources in the community. Using state demographic population estimates, students will discuss the public policy implications of population growth in the area and their community. Stage four incorporates GIS technology. Throughout several lab days students learn to add data sets, change attributes, and examine those issues which have already been discussed to date. This includes examining hydrology, impervious cover, and present land use. Stage five examines the influences of population growth in public policy. By analyzing a series of articles, the students will examine the issues surrounding development, including the challenges of “Big Box” retail in the City of Austin. The final step requires each team of students to act as consultants, presenting their first and final maps with recommendations for future community development.