Socio-environmental science investigations (SESI) are a series of secondary level geospatial investigations that focus on social issues related to environmental science. The investigations focus on local problems and utilize fieldwork to gather data in a local setting. Students use the Esri Collector app to gather geo-referenced data outside their school. The student-collected data is then shared into a Cloud-based map service over the Internet. The collaborative data set is analyzed in ARCGIS.com, a Web-based GIS with interactive mapping visualization tools that students use to manage, query, and analyze geospatial data. Students use geospatial thinking and analysis skills for investigating geospatial relationships in the data in addition to critical thinking skills to synthesize, compare, and interpret information to solve problems in their local environment.

The SESI instructional materials have been developed for use in a specific geographic location. The materials can be adapted for implementing the investigations in other locations.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (DRL -1614216).