This entry offers a brief history of the geographic information science and technology curriculum initiatives conducted during the past 35 years and then describes the various ways in which the most recent GIS&T (Geographic Information Science & Technology) Body of Knowledge (BoK) can be used to support education and training. It also documents the approaches that the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) has taken to support and steward the GIS&T BoK during this time.
GIS education and training have their roots both in formal educational settings and in professional development. Methods and approaches for teaching and learning about and with geospatial technologies have evolved in tight connection with the advances in the internet and personal computers. The adoption and integration of GIS and related geospatial technologies into dozens of academic disciplines has led to a high demand for instruction that is targeted and timely, a combination that is challenging to meet consistently with diverse audiences and in diverse settings. Academic degrees, concentrations, minors, certificates, and numerous other programs abound within formal and informal education.
Professional Certification has been a part of the GIS enterprise for over two decades. There are several different certification programs and related activities now in operation within GIS, though there has been much debate over its merits, how it should be done and by whom.
There are a great many professional associations in the geospatial sector. They provide a great deal of value to the geospatial community and professionals working in that community. The value can be described in terms of professional development, technological and organizational advancement, advocacy, governance, and leadership. The following text explains the various ways in which professional associations provide value to the community.
The geospatial community has grown and evolved tremendously over the past five decades and now includes formal and informal collections of individuals, groups, institutions, and organizations with similar or complementary goals and aspirations connected to the production and use of geospatial data and technology. This entry documents the roles played by professional organizations as well as the private and not-for-profit sectors, and the nature of their interactions and agendas in the coming years.