2008 EdUC Plenary Session and Keynote Address

Saturday, August 2
8:30 a.m.–noon

Orientation Session
8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
The EdUC orientation session provides an overview of conference activities for first-time attendees. You will learn how the conference is organized, where activities will take place, and where to get answers to any questions you may have.

General Plenary Session
9:15 a.m.–noon
The plenary session is an opportunity to hear from ESRI's education team, topic experts, and our keynote speaker discussing new developments in GIS and explore new teaching materials for using GIS in the classroom.

Keynote Address

Dr. Anne K. Knowles
Professor of Geography
Middlebury College, Vermont

"Placing History: The Value of Geography in History Education"

Dr. Knowles' presentation will explore GIS use in historical scholarship and teaching history. Learn how geospatial technology plays a part in historical research and education.

Dr. Knowles graduated from Duke University in 1979 and earned her Ph.D. in geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She specializes in historical geography, historical GIS, and 19th Century USA immigration and industrialization. The professor is also an editor of several books including Historical GIS; Past Time, Past Place; and Placing History.

Although historians have been slow to adopt GIS, recent breakthroughs are galvanizing teachers and scholars to apply geospatial methods to a tremendous range of historical periods and subjects. Interest in historical GIS has grown with the proliferation of online historical archives and the creation of national historical GIS databases. Most inspiring, however, is the realization that taking a geographical approach to history not only yields new understanding, but makes the past more tangible and real for readers of history and students of any age. Placing history in its geographical context may well become the next wave in history education and scholarship.

Be sure to make time to visit the plenary session and explore thinking spatially with Dr. Knowles.