Mapping time: opening frontiers for student exploration of time-based geospatial datasets

The National Science Foundation's Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings awarded $899,362 to Concord Consortium Inc. on September 15, 2025, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to develop the Mapping Time Explorer, a visual analytics software system designed to make time-based geospatial data analysis accessible to high school students. The project, which extends through February 29, 2028, will design and test novel user interface approaches and emerging data processing methodologies to enable novice learners to visualize, explore, and analyze complex geospatial datasets. This initiative addresses the critical gap between the growing professional demand for geospatial literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and the current lack of accessible educational tools and support for secondary students.

The project team comprises learning scientists, educational technology developers, cognitive scientists, and experienced geospatial educators who will employ a design-based research approach to investigate how emerging user interface affordances and advanced analytical techniques can be adapted for high school classrooms. Through this work, the project will equip students with essential data literacy skills required for academic and career success. James Madison University serves as a sub-awardee, with Co-PI Robert Kolvoord from the institution contributing expertise on classroom applications of geospatial technology and serving as liaison to Virginia teachers and students participating in the project testing phases.

Abstract

Geospatial data is central to understanding and addressing global challenges, from natural disasters to the spread of disease, and to changes in global commerce and distribution of resources. Fluency in time-based geospatial analysis is increasingly essential in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering professions. Yet this analysis is highly complex, and high school students often lack accessible tools and support to engage with such data to develop fluency in analysis. This project team is composed of learning scientists, educational technology developers, cognitive scientists, geospatial educators, and high school teachers experienced in geospatial analysis instruction. Leveraging emerging research in interfaces and analysis techniques for visualizing and analyzing time-based geospatial datasets, the project will design, develop, and test technologies that make time-based geospatial data approachable by high school learners, and will equip students with critical data literacy skills needed for future academic and career success. This project will adopt a design-based research approach to develop the mapping time explorer; a novel visual analytics system aimed at integrating and adapting identified user interface (UI) approaches and geospatial analysis techniques into a novice-friendly software suite for the exploration of time-based geospatial datasets. The project will conduct early-stage research in technology and learning innovation to explore two sets of technology innovation research questions: 1) how can emerging UI affordances and designs be leveraged for use by high school students for visualizing and exploring time-based geospatial data, and 2) how can emerging methodologies for processing and analyzing time-based geospatial data be leveraged for use by high school students? In parallel, the project will investigate two sets of learning innovation questions: 1) how can emerging UI affordances and designs within inquiry-based classroom activities enable high school students to explore and analyze time-based geospatial data, and 2) which emergent methodologies for processing time-based geospatial data offer promise for high school students' learning? The project will publish and present research on technology design and student learning and make project software publicly available via open-source licenses. This project is funded by the research on innovative technologies for enhanced learning (ritel) program that supports early-stage exploratory research in emerging technologies for teaching and learning. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.