Two Perspectives on GIS/LIS Education in the United States

Education in Geographic information science (GIS/LIS) happens in the United States both within surveying-related academic programs and in other academic programs that use spatially oriented data and information. This article presents an overview of two such programs. The first is a four-year Bachelor of Science degree program in Geographic Information Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The second is a concentration with a four-year Bachelor of Science degree program in Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Geographic information science is the primary focus of the Texas A&M program, whereas GIS/LIS is an emphasis of the UConn program. Both approaches are presented for comparison.

Cognition and Student Learning Through the Arts

An increasing number of recent research studies suggest connections between cognition, social and emotional development, and the arts. Some studies indicate that students in schools where the arts are an integral part of the academic program tend to do better in school than those students where that is not the case. This study examines home/school factors that contribute most to variance in student learning and achievement and the arts from over 8,000 students in grade 5. The findings suggest in-school arts programs may have less of an impact on student achievement than proposed by previous research.