Abstract:
Global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technology are important tools in the emerging agricultural revolution called precision agricultural or site-specific management. Many students and faculty of agricultural colleges have little exposure to or experience with these new technologies. This paper summarizes how GPS/GIS instruction was incorporated into an existing agriculture curriculum and presents the perspectives of participating faculty following implementation of the project. Faculty from five departments received training in basic GPS/GIS procedures through a series of workshops, seminars and roundtable discussions. Coordinated lesson plans were developed and GPS/GIS modules containing basic information were incorporated into three lower division courses. More advanced discipline-based GPS/GIS lab experiences were implemented in eight upper division courses. Benefits to students cited by faculty included increased awareness of GPS/GIS agriculture applications, improved ability to operate GPS/GIS equipment and improved employability of students. Several obstacles to increased implementation of the project were also expressed by participating faculty. These included lack of GPS/GIS equipment, courses which were already 'content crowded', and students receiving similar GPS/GIS information in lower division courses and/or lacking certain prerequisites in upper division courses.
Keywords:
GPS, GIS, strategies, outcomes
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