Cografi Bilgi Sistemleri

Teachers learn mapping technology with help from grant March 14, 2009

Two area college instructors are thrilled with the potential of relatively new technology that they say applies to nearly every field.

Jackie Stenehjem, an instructor at Williston State University, and Angie Milakovic, from Bismarck State College, studied integrated geospatial education and technology training (iGETT) through a grant from the National Science Foundation and NASA. They were among 40 community college instructors from across the country who were recipients of the iGETT grant.

The two trained during the summers of 2007 and 2008 in remote sensing, or use of satellite imagery manipulation, and are now teaching their students how to use the technology in their classes. Milakovic said there are hundreds of NASA images available online that used to cost hundreds of dollars and now are available for free.

Both women had previously taught students how to use related global positioning systems and geographic information systems technology in their classes. GPS technology is used to collect data; GIS technology is used to display it.

“I’m pumped,” said Stenehjem, who said using the remote sensing software can be challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun.
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