Introducing the Guide to the Geographic Approach: Open GIS Teaching and Learning Resources
Geographic Approach
Hello,
We’re writing to share a set of open-access GIS teaching and learning resources that may be useful for supporting GIS instruction and research, and potentially something to share with faculty or students you work with. The Guide to the Geographic Approach (GGA) is a growing collection of open-access GIS lectures, labs, and activities designed to support modern GIS education. It is built collaboratively by a network of universities in partnership with Esri and is freely available to instructors, teaching assistants, students, and libraries.
We believe the Guide to the Geographic Approach (GGA) may be a valuable resource for libraries supporting GIS instruction and outreach, and something to share with faculty and students. We’re also very interested in learning how libraries are engaging with open GIS curriculum and where the Guide could be most useful.
Why use the Guide?
For faculty instructors and teaching assistants, the value of the Guide is at least four-fold. The modules:
Save valuable preparation and class time by providing ready-to-use courseware, complete with data, that can be integrated directly into existing courses or curricula.
Are developed by trusted academics and cover contemporary GIS concepts and techniques, including web mapping, GeoAI, enterprise GIS, big data, and ethics.
Are flexible and customizable using provided templates. Modules can be used in full or adapted by selecting individual components.
Are openly and freely available, continually updated by a network of universities in collaboration with Esri, and open to participation and contributions from the community.
Key features of the Guide include:
Alignment with professional standards: All materials are indexed to GISCI and the GIS&T Body of Knowledge, supporting workforce readiness and credential pathways.
Competency-driven and community-informed design: The Guide builds on established GIScience frameworks (NCGIA Core Curriculum, GIS&T BoK, U.S. Department of Labor GTCM, GISCI), while extending them to address emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, UAVs, web GIS, and geospatial big data.
Ethics embedded throughout: Every module integrates ethical lessons and activities, reinforcing ethical reasoning as a core responsibility of GIS professionals.
Open and adaptable content: Materials can be adopted as-is or tailored to fit specific course goals, programs, or institutional priorities.
Project-based, real-world learning: Case studies and labs mirror the types of problems students encounter in professional practice.
Continuously updated resources: Content evolves alongside advances in geospatial technology, helping curricula stay current and relevant.
If you’re interested in exploring the materials, using them, please reach out to us at spatial-geogr...@ucsb.edu. We’re happy to follow up with demos, examples, or conversations tailored to your teaching or support needs.
Thank you for your time, and we hope to connect with you soon.
Best regards,
The Guide to the Geographic Approach Team