Green map exercises as an avenue for problem-based learning in a data-rich environment

This article describes a series of data-based Green Map learning exercises positioned within a problem-based framework and examines the appropriateness of projects like these as a form of geography education. Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational technique that engages students in learning through activities that require creative problem solving and applied knowledge rather than lecture and recitation. The experiences speak to the specifics of Green Map use in the classroom but also demonstrate other learning experiences. The projects described in this article have been undertaken in New Jersey, where robust state-wide geospatial databases and strong open records laws allow data exploration and critical review of the data to become central activities in the learning exercises. However, they have occurred outside the traditional venues of geographic education, providing additional insight to ways that students learn from and about geography. The case studies described in the article are divided based on their general context: K-12 and higher education.