Geography professors Linna Li and Hyowon Ban awarded ORSP Multidisciplinary Research Grant

Drs. Linna Li and Hyowon Ban, collaborating with Dr. Shuhua An and Dr. Jyotsna Pattnaik in the College of Education, were awarded an ORSP Multidisciplinary research grant to work on a project titled “Improving STEM Education by Integrating Geospatial Technologies into K-8 Mathematics Curriculum.” With the guidance and coaching of the faculty research team, preservice teachers will develop age appropriate geospatial technology (GT) integrated activity modules for the K-8 mathematics curriculum and will test them out in selected elementary classrooms in Los Angeles County. A mixed-method design will be adopted to assess the change in preservice teachers’ knowledge of GT integrated math education and the K-8 students’ math learning skills before and after the adoption of the modules. This will be one of the first studies to utilize geospatial technologies as a major media to teach computational thinking and mathematics in K-8 classrooms in a fun, visual, and meaningful learning environment. Funding will be available for graduate students with skills in GIScience, data collection, data analysis, surveys, and focus group interviews. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Linna Li (linna.li@csulb.edu) or Dr. Hyowon Ban (Hyowon.ban@csulb.edu).