GIS is an ideal vehicle for meeting the changing expectations of students in Higher Education. Opportunities to introduce GIS to students outside of the formal, taught GIS curriculum, however, often go unrecognised, or are missed. Michael Horswell, from the University of the West of England, will consider the barriers to, and opportunities for, implementing GIS under the radar in HE curricula, as well as the considerable benefits that such an approach presents to students.

1. Michael Horswell
Senior Lecturer:
Applied GIS and
Spatial Analysis
To acknowledge, please use:
Horswell, M. (2018) GIS under radar. Paper presented at: ESRI UK Annual Conference
2018. London, 22 May 2018.

2. Contents
Bad news
Good news
Bad news (again)
Good news (Hooray!)

4. What we do has changed

5. What our students expect
has changed
The post-university world for most graduates is fiercely
competitive
• Students realize that subject knowledge is only one
outcome of higher education
• Students expect content to be relevant to their career /
vocational aspirations
• Students expect to be prepared for the workplace
• Graduates expect to be able to compete successfully for
employment
• Student expectations of academia are shaped by forces
outside of the academy

7. What universities do is changing
Subject-based Learning Outcomes are still king, and while
some attention has always been paid to ‘transferable skills’
NOW,
the focus is shifting, and language is changing, suggesting a
more sophisticated understanding of all the things students
might gain OVER AND ABOVE subject specific knowledge

9. GIS above the radar
Undergraduate GIS:
• Part of skills modules
• Part of
professionalization
modules
• Part of disciplinary
modules
• Specialist modules
• Specialist programmes
Postgraduate GIS:
• Specialist modules
• Part of disciplinary
modules
• Specialist programmes
• Assumed competency
• Focussed upskilling –
plugging deficits
• Research (MSc, MRes,
PhD)

11. How can I assess
work done using
GIS?
I need all the time
for my subject
content
GIS under the radar –
same old excuses
I don’t know
enough about
GIS to include it
I don’t have
time to develop
new skills
We have coped
so far without
it…
I don’t know who
would be able to
help me
I’m retiring
soon
GIS exists
in other
modules
I don’t
want to
change

12. GIS under the radar – ask the right
questions to the right people
• Should I be teaching spatial
thinking in my modules?
• How is GIS used in my discipline?
• What can GIS add to my
modules / for my students?
• Can students use their existing
GIS skills within my module?
• Can students use external
training resources to develop the
required skills?

13. Requires a change in our thinking…
• Undermine modular / disciplinary silos
• Greater emphasis on programmatic curricula
• Transdisciplinary approaches to learning
• Transdisciplinary staff collaborations
• Longitudinal knowledge & ‘skilling‘ strategies
• Interdisciplinary assessment criteria
• Technical collaboration and support
• Requirement for reflective learning / assessment
Structural implications of GIS
under the radar

14. Practical GIS under the radar…

16. Enabling a new approach to
‘skills development’
• Not a checkbox exercise
• Programmatic, longitudinal, rehearsed across
modules
• Explicit, integrated, confidence building, assessed
process
• Aligned with expectations of external
stakeholders
• Moving beyond developing knowledge and skills
to empowering learners to apply knowledge and
skills creatively to solve problems

17. DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY
CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT
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CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT
DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT DISCIPLINARY
Preparing
Planning
Engaging
Applying
Interpreting
Reflecting
GIS is ideal for graduate attribute
development
Professional skills
and dispositions
• Problem-based learning • Spatial thinking • Problem solving • Creativity •

18. GIS graduate attributes

19. “I have learned to rely on others
more and also found that I can help
others when they are struggling
with something. This is a key lesson.”
“I made a lot of progress with my technical skills
and self-confidence during the task. I have learned
that a good quality of work does not come from
quick decisions, processes and techniques.”
“I have become much more confident throughout the
process because we utilised the strengths of all team
members to our advantage. I have learnt a new and
exciting way to present data which I feel will help me in
furthering my career.”
“The experience of this project
was enjoyable, learning to deal
with constant setbacks created a
resilience within me - which is a
key life skill, and shows that I
can adapt to adverse situations.
My confidence has improved
since this project, due to realising
the skill set I have with ArcMap. I
am proud of the final product”
“I’d also say this process has been character
building, as for the first time I’ve had to
deal with conflicts and other challenges
which put me out of my comfort zone.”
“I now feel more confident in my
organizational and leadership skills,
which will benefit me in future employment
and other collaborative situations.”
“The correct completion of each spatial analytical
process, saw my self-assurance increase and
development grow. I completed this project to my
utmost potential and am greatly proud of my
achievements.”

20. Who I am
What
I
know
Workplace ready graduates