Harnessing the Student Force for a Good Cause by Moines Hussen El-Shafey, GIS Co-ordinator, Education | Contents Page | Al-Khabar Home Page | CGIS Home Page | An enriched understanding of one's environment becomes a priority when a balance is struck between environment and society. This balance can only be achieved when information is available, understood and used to make appropriate decisions about how environment and society co-exist. The effective introduction and use of contemporary spatial information tools, such as GIS, provides the framework through which today's students can achieve that balance. It is expected that the Geo-Coding project will provide this framework so that the next generation of decision makers will have an intuitive sense of interaction between environment and society and can answer relevant questions about where they are, why they are there and how they can enhance the quality of life in their communities, and ultimately, in our world. By involving the high school students in the Geo-Coding project, they will be able to explore the uses of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in project-based mapping science, environment, and learning geography. Also, part of the project can be used to explore how computer-based GIS systems, may enhance high school geography education, particularly in K-12 systems. For example, students will learn how maps are being produced starting from data collections, through data entry and ended by map production. Also, it will enable them to recognize the relationships between different features in the field. In short, this project will: Provide students a data-rich environment in which to explore Qatar through GIS application; Provide opportunities for students to ask and answer questions about different areas in the State; It may be expandable by the students and may provide them an opportunity to incorporate information that they collect as part of any project activities during the course of their study; Encourage the development of critical thinking skills in students through their design of research questions, databases, field survey Be a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. It is expected that it will enable the students to learn about the tools employed to study the basic physical and human elements of their community. Once accomplished, they have a foundation from which to direct their own studies using this information and technology. So, what better way to introduce students to GIS than to have them participate in such a project from the point it starts where this chance may not be available later on. | Contents Page | Al-Khabar Home Page | CGIS Home Page |