Spatial thinking must be recognized as a fundamental part of K-12 education and as an integrator of and facilitator for problem solving across the curriculum. With advances in computing technologies and the increasing availability of geospatial data, spatial thinking will play a significant role in the information- based economy of the 21st-century. Using appropriately designed support systems tailored to the K-12 context, spatial thinking can be taught formally to all students. A geographic information system (GIS) offers one example of a high- technology support system that can enable students and teachers to practice and apply spatial thinking in many areas of the curriculum (National Research Council, 2005).

Geotechnologies are everywhere in society now, yet only approximately 5% of GIS users are educators and students (ESRI, 2005). Schools lag behind in introducing students to geotechnologies because of a lack of training, support, and access to spatial data sets appropriate for 5-12 grade audiences.