Integrating GIS in the Middle School Curriculum: Impacts on Diverse Students’ Standardized Test Scores

This case study conducted with 1,425 middle school students in Palm Beach County, Florida, included a treatment group receiving GIS instruction (256) and a control group without GIS instruction (1,169). Quantitative analyses on standardized test scores indicated that inclusion of GIS in middle school curriculum had a significant effect on student achievement on both high stakes Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) reading scores and on final course grades in science and social studies. The most significant increases were found among the English language learners (ELLs).