National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

The National Center for Geographic Information (NCGIA) and Analysis and the California Geographic Information Association (CGIA) organized the first California GIS Educators' Symposium, which took place on August 11—12, 1996. This day and a half meeting at the University of California, Santa Barbara brought together 45 GIS educators from around the state. There was a strong representation from the California State University system as well as from the state's community colleges. Participants also included educators from the University of California, private universities, the public schools, and other educational organizations.

The primary goal of the symposium was to begin a dialog between educators at in different types of institutions around the state and to attempt to coordinate GIS educational activities.

Jack Dangermond, President of ESRI, delivered a thought provoking keynote discussion, which touched on a broad range of issues related to the affect of GIS on society and education. He also discussed the directions which the technology may take, including the increasing importance of desktop and internet- based GIS.

The symposium also provided ample opportunity for discussion of the issues facing educators in each type of institution and between institutions. 

This document contains: a list of the symposium participants; summaries of the mixed group break out discussion and of the final set of recommendations/action items formulated; and the symposium agenda.