This award provides funds to the Department of Geography at Clark University to help purchase equipment which will be used to improve the undergraduate physical geography and cartographic/GIS courses. The strategy is to continue developing a hands-on problem solving approach in laboratory classes. The IDRISI-Geographic Analysis System will be used to develop realistic problem solving applications into skill-enhancing and geographic concept exercises. Software modules, operational and under-development, that explore basic geographic relations will be further integrated into laboratory sessions. The major equipment to be purchased includes computing, digitizing and printing hardware. Besides the benefits that will accrue to students at Clark University by improvements in the geography courses, results will have widespread applicability throughout North America and Western Europe. The modules and exercises that will be developed in conjunction with this award, generally will be compatible with this GIS system. Thus, advances made in the Clark program will be readily transferable to other institutions. The grantee is matching this award with non-Federal sources.
