PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
July 2018
417
SECTOR
INSIGHT:
.
org
E
ducation
and
P
rofessional
D
evelopment
in
the
G
eospatial
I
nformation
S
cience
and
T
echnology
C
ommunity
By Dr. Camelia Kantor,
USGIF
GEOINT Education Foresight: A World of Micro-credentials
T
he
P
ast
and
P
resent
Since Penn State’s Geospatial Revolution series and ‘mas-
sive open online course (MOOC) platform, our community
has gone beyond what was perceived about eight years ago
as a revolution in geospatial technologies and information.
Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) in particular matured and
solidified its position as a respected profession. It has brought
together not just disciplines (Geography-Human and Physi-
cal, Environmental Sciences, Intelligence Studies, Computer
Science, Engineering, etc.), but also shifted the education,
training and research focus from traditional disciplines and
stand-alone departments to knowledge, skills and competen-
cies that can be utilized and leveraged across fields of study.
The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (US-
GIF) has significantly contributed to this growth via USGIF
accreditation of GEOINT certificates offered as add-ons to ex-
isting degrees across various departments, as well as through
professional training and development at the intersection of
government, academic and commercial entities, professional
certifications geared towards the 5-10 years GEOINT practi-
tioners, and, more recently, through the design and dissem-
ination of the first Essential Body of Knowledge in GEOINT
(GEOINT EBK).
Developed by a group of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from
across the entire GEOINT enterprise, the GEOINT EBK pro-
vides a basic reference for anyone interested in or practicing
the profession of GEOINT. It is based on seven core compe-
tencies, four technical (GIS & Analysis Tools, Remote Sens-
ing & Imagery Analysis, Geospatial Database Management
and Visualization) as well as three cross-functional knowl-
edge areas (Synthesis, Reporting and Collaboration). Both
the collegiate certificates and professional certifications are
now using the GEOINT EBK as a curriculum framework and
imply demonstrated competence or qualification to perform
GEOINT analysis from essentials to advanced functions.
While there might be still specialization within the EBK
(primarily covering two-three functions only), the breadth of
knowledge across the seven competencies equips the GEOINT
education or training consumers with knowledge and tools to
move from junior to journeyman and leadership levels, per-
form GEOINT specific tasks, and, most importantly, gain a
holistic understanding of a problem.
T
he
P
resent
and
F
uture
The GEOINT career pathways are looking much broader
today than before, including business intelligence, public
health, oil and gas industry, emergency management, urban
planning, precision agriculture and many other fields where
humanity is facing various types of threats. GEOINT is now
found across industries and professions even if it doesn’t al-
ways carry the name of GEOINT. As student demographics
shift, today’s GEOINT students may not be the traditional
recent high school graduates, but working professionals in
government, commercial or academia furthering their edu-
cation. They may already play important roles in informing
decision-makers about spatiotemporal issues and providing
timely answers to key questions in different fields and to al-
most every sector of the economy. Such changes in student
demographics place a lot of pressure on faculty who need to
differentiate their instruction while also appreciating and
capitalizing on its students’ professional experiences.
When GEOINT reaches other audiences and technologies
change, disappear or are invented, so do the GEOINT compe-
tencies expected fromstudents preparing to embrace GEOINT
careers. For example, Big Geospatial Data necessitates data
development and machine learning (ML). Artificial Intelli-
gence is now seen as a needed addition in GEOINT with fur-
ther implications in the business place (finance, healthcare,
HR, etc.). This shift forces innovation in education where sal-
vaged course syllabi from last years may only work for cov-
ering rules and procedures. Not to mention the demographic
trends in education with adult learners’ increased interest in
seeking additional credentials and professional development
opportunities that will drive significant changes in the teach-
ing, learning, training and re-training in GEOINT.
As humankind continues to face a widening “ingenuity gap” or
space between the complex problems we face and our ability to
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
Vol. 84, No. 7, July 2018, pp. 417–418.
0099-1112/18/417–418
© 2018 American Society for Photogrammetry
and Remote Sensing
doi: 10.14358/PERS.84.7.417
