Geospatial Technician Education Through Virginia’s Community Colleges (GTEVCC)

1. Geospatial Technician Education Through Virginia’s Community Colleges (GTEVCC) VGIN Board Meeting October 14, 2009

2. Contact Information Chris Carter Assistant Director Virginia Space Grant Consortium Hampton, Va. cxcarter@odu.edu (757) 766-5210 John McGee, Ph.D. Virginia Geospatial Extension Specialist Virginia Tech jmcg@vt.edu (540) 231-2428

3. A Little Background • The VCCS, The Virginia Geospatial Extension Program, and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium have been working on this “for a while”. • 2003: Strategic planning meeting at PVCC with Bob Bailey and Anne Johnson (ESRI) • Fall 2006: Submitted a “full proposal” to the NSF • Winter 2007: Submitted a planning proposal to the NSF

4. A Little (more) Background • Spring 2007: Awarded a $150,000 planning NSF/ATE planning grant • Fall 2008: Submitted a “full proposal” to the NSF • Spring 2009: Awarded NSF / ATE funding from the NSF • 3 years • Approximately $900,000

5. GTEVCC Vision Establish and grow three unique academic pathways in geospatial technology (GST) at partnering VCCS colleges to provide employers in Virginia with a larger pool of skilled geospatial technicians. Pathways will serve as academic models for other VCCS community colleges.

6. GTEVCC Overarching Project Goal Continue to build a network of partnerships among community colleges, college faculty, business/industry and public sector (employers), universities, and national organizations to improve communication among all GST stakeholders across the state.

7. GTEVCC-Partners • VSGC managing and administering on behalf of VCCS • Virginia Geospatial Extension Program at Virginia Tech • Virginia Community College System (VCCS) • Virginia Western Community College • John Tyler Community College • Tidewater Community College

9. GTEVCC-Steering Committee • Rodney Clayton-TCC, Co-I • Dr. John McGee-VT, Co-I • David Webb-VWCC, Co-I • Dr. William Wyatt-JTCC, Co-I • George McLeod-TCC Adjunct, GIS Systems Engineer-ODU • Inez Farrell-VCCS, Director of Instructional Technology • Stephanie Baird Wilkerson-Magnolia Consulting, External Evaluation • Chris Carter-VSGC, PI PI

10. GTEVCC Advisory Committee • NASA Langley • Michael Baker, Inc. • Timmons, Inc. • R&K Engineering • James Madison University • VGIN • Mountain Empire CC • Faculty Emeritus from Virginia Tech • Virginia Department of Education • ESRI • VAMLIS

11. GTEVCC-Results from Planning Grant • GST Workforce Needs Survey Completed • Virginia DACUM Created • Pilot Workshops Conducted • TCC Established Certificate in GIS • VCCS Geospatial Webportal Planned

13. GTEVCC-Goals Goal 1 • Build academic pathways in GST at three geographically dispersed community colleges that can serve as models for other community colleges. Goal 2 • Provide professional development for community college faculty and precollege teachers in Virginia to increase use of GST and to disseminate resources. • Workshops; Mentoring ; Connecting

14. GTEVCC-Goals Goal 3 • Build the GST workforce pipeline by increasing enrollment in geospatial programs. Goal 4 • Create and sustain a GST web portal to serve as a repository for GST pathway models, curriculum, professional development materials, and other resources. Goal 5 • Ensure project participants represent diversity in gender and ethnicity.

15. TCC-Career Studies Certificate

16. TCC-Career Studies Certificate

17. GTEVCC High-School Teacher Workshop Goal • Raise the level of GST knowledge and skills among high school teachers (CTE, science, computer) from service region of partnering colleges • Increase integration of GST into the classroom Activities • Conduct one summer workshop for 15 teachers from each service region (3 day + 1 day followup) • VWCC and TCC (2010) • JTCC (2011)

18. Professional Development for VCCS Faculty John McGee, VT

19. Goal • Raise the level of GIS expertise at VCCS partnering colleges Summary of Objectives • Conduct two intensive summer workshops (2010 & 2011) for 15 faculty from 10 different colleges, plus • 3 High School teachers (1 from each region) who are moderately experienced in GST

20. Workshop Approach • The VA DACUM will serve as our “guide” • Hands on lessons and exercises using VA Data • “the best of the best” • Problem solving, project based • Not just “button pushing”...

21. Workshop Approach • Expanding the network – • Guest speakers: • Community College Faculty: George McLeod, David Webb, Rodney Clayton • MECC Faculty-across the curriculum; Susan Kennedy-MECC Online GIS Certificate Program • Other Community College Faculty: CPCC (Charlotte NC) • Virginia Industry / geospatial employers • VGIN • Local / state governments • Private industry • Textbook and geospatial resource “showcase”

22. Networking and Marketing • Integration with the National GeoTech Center and the Map@syst Community of Practice (CoP) • VCCS Faculty will learn how to access and populate the VCCS Geospatial Web Portal • Information sharing • Enhance Marketing efforts • Dependable access to organized links • VCCS branded • Calendar of GIS events in VA

23. Challenges & Opportunities(just to name a few…) • Work with software that is “current” (we need to anticipate ArcGIS 9.4 and whatever else is coming down the road) • Provide VCCS faculty with intensive instruction, without overwhelming them • Provide VCCS faculty with the confidence and vernacular to help them network and problem solve

24. Challenges & Opportunities(continued) • Introduce VCCS faculty to a network of resources to support their teaching efforts • National GeoTech Center • Other regional / local resources • Online training • Data & software access • Local, state, and national points of contact • The VCCS Geospatial Web Portal • Map@syst

25. Challenges & Opportunities(continued) • Provide VCCS faculty with initial data that is applicable to their specific geographic areas; • Provide VCCS faculty with training and an educational structure that will support the needs of Virginia’s geospatial employers (train the trainer…); • Recruit VCCS faculty to attend the intensive workshops – If faculty don’t know “what it [GIS] is” then they will not be interested in attending…; • Support the establishment of a network whereby VCCS faculty (and others) can serve as mentors.

26. The Workshop • July 24 to July 30th, 2010 • Held at the Virginia Tech the Center for Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing (CEARS) • 7 day Workshop • VCCS faculty will receive room, M&IE, and a stipend to attend • Community Colleges are responsible for transportation expenses to / from Blacksburg

27. Brochure – draft copy

28. VCCS WebPortal • Discourage stove-piping by providing an efficient mechanism to support sharing and communication between VCCS geospatial faculty • Provide geospatial related information to students • Provide one-stop shopping to external geospatial information • This resource is not intended to be a spatial data clearinghouse, or repository but could evolve into such a resource in the future if warranted.

29. The VCCS WebPortal • Drupal based • Open source • “Modules”, and add-on tools / etc. have been developed, and are easily available already • Templates available for each community college presence • Multiple user privilege levels • Statistics generator to support reporting

30. Key Content Areas Identified by the Workgroup:

31. Summary

32. In short • The VCCS is well poised to support Geospatial Workforce development in Virginia • Requires marketing, workforce development, coordination, and development of model programs • Faculty are excited • Virginia’s industry is excited

33. Program Assistance • VGIN has provided leadership already, both formally and informally • Serve on the advisory board for both the planning grant and the present grant • VGIN employees (Stuart Blankenship and John Scrivani) have been serving as adjunct faculty at community colleges and continue to provide vital input throughout this process • VGIN’s framework datasets have been, and will continue to be used by Community College faculty

34. What Assistance Can VGIN Provide? • Support marketing / awareness efforts of the program through local, regional, and state meetings (as well as NSGIC and national venues); • Continued leadership on the advisory committee; • Participation / presentation at the VCCS Geospatial Institute in Blacksburg, VA (July 24th – 30th, 2010);

35. What Assistance Can VGIN Provide (continued)? • Continued leadership and mentorship at VCCS member institutions / GIS Day (regional coordinators and others); • Assistance with the VCCS Web Portal; • Assistance disseminating geospatial framework data to VCCS instructors / institutions. Note: this is not a “one shot” deal. This effort will need to be sustained for several years.

36. Questions?