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Illinois Geographic Alliance, LLC

Illinois Geographic Alliance Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives

The Illinois Geographic Alliance has established the goals and objectives described below for the time period October 1, 2015, to November 1, 2020.

Goal 1

To relaunch and reorganize the IGA under the new leadership structure

  • Objective 1.1: Review the existing IGA Articles of Operation and develop a new organizational policies and procedures document for IGA.
  • Objective 1.2: Create IGA committees, select committee chairs, and seat committees to work on specific projects and initiatives.

Goal 2

To Improve communications and visibility of IGA

  • Objective 2.1: Develop and maintain an updated digital membership directory and distribution system with contact information for all IGA members.
  • Objective 2.2: Develop a new e-Newsletter circulated to IGA members on a quarterly basis. Explore the possibility of developing brief (1-2 page) specialized newsletters for targeted IGA audiences (e.g., teachers, legislators, donors) on an annual or biannual basis.
  • Objective 2.3: Increase the visibility of IGA on social media sites through the creation of public profiles on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Goal 3

To recruit new IGA members and increase membership

  • Objective 3.1: Recruit pre-service and non-tenured K-12 teachers, informal educators, and university faculty for membership in IGA through targeted recruiting and mentoring activities by active IGA members and Steering Committee members. Increase IGA membership from current membership numbers by 25% after Year 2, and 50% after Year 5.
  • Objective 3.2: Recruit teachers from related disciplines (e.g., environmental science, history) with targeted recruiting events, and through promotion of the Illinois Online Atlas of Illinois for K-12 Classroom and accompanying lesson plans.
  • Objective 3.3: Recruit members from professional organizations, non-for profit, and other non-academia or state agencies beyond educational institutions through conference exhibits and other opportunities.
  • Objective 3.4: Reach out to past IGA members to entice them to once again become active in the organization.

Goal 4

To support K-12 geography teachers with resources and professional development opportunities, including the continuation of already established workshops/events and exploring the development of new workshops/events

  • Objective 4.1: Schedule an official launch date for the IGA Illinois Online Atlas of Illinois for K-12 Classroom for Fall 2015 with promotional announcements sent via e-mail to members.
  • Objective 4.2: Develop additional lesson plans and maps to expand content in the Illinois Online Atlas of Illinois for K-12 Classroom.
  • Objective 4.3: Expand use of the Illinois Online Atlas of Illinois for K-12 Classroom by increasing website page hits (as measured by Google Analytics) by 25% from current level in Year 1, 50% in Year 2, and 100% in Year 3.
  • Objective 4.4: Develop and support projects to generate new teaching resources, such as the recently initiated IGA AP Human Geography video project.
  • Objective 4.5: Work with pre-service college/university teaching students to develop geography lessons for K-12 teachers that are consistent with the Illinois Learning Standards. Pre-service teaching students will be recruited from geography teaching methods courses in Illinois colleges and universities.
  • Objective 4.6: Support teacher professional development through workshops on various geography-related topics (e.g., AP Human Geography, GIS). Hold at least one AP Human Geography workshop/conference/event each year and at least one GIS workshop/conference/event each year for teachers.
  • Objective 4.7: Develop a mentoring program for experienced teachers to share “best practices” with junior teachers.
  • Objective 4.8: Develop specific teaching resources that will enhance geographic education (e.g., lesson plan sharing, updating existing lesson plans that are already on the IGA website, teacher field day activities, Geography Awareness Week events). This will be accomplished through the creation of IGA working groups.
  • Objective 4.9: Support teachers in professional development by providing opportunities to attend and present at geography-related conferences (e.g., IGS, ILGISA, and NCGE). Aim to recruit and support at least two IGA member K-12 teachers to attend and present at a local or national geography-related conference each year.
  • Objective 4.10: Increase participation in K-8 geography events such as the Illinois Geography Bee.
  • Objective 4.11: Explore the development of an annual Geography Bowl for high school students in coordination with IGA partners.
  • Objective 4.12: Expand Geography Awareness Week and Geography Night events at K- 12 schools throughout the state through supporting grants. Aim to award at least five small grants each year to support Geography Awareness Week and Geography Night events.
  • Objective 4.13: Partner with neighboring state geographic alliances to coordinate joint events.
  • Objective 4.14: Support professional development opportunities and certifications for K-12 teachers organized by our partners, such as the National Geographic Educator Certification program.

Goal 5

To encourage and support the expansion of AP Human Geography and GIScience in K-12 schools

  • Objective 5.1: Continue to offer the annual Advanced Placement Human Geography conference and increase overall attendance.
  • Objective 5.2: Continue to support GIS education for K-12 teachers by offering at least one GIS workshop for teachers in the state each year.

Goal 6

To develop new collaborative partnerships with organizations in Illinois, and strengthen existing partnerships

  • Objective 6.1: Continue partnership with the Illinois Geographical Society (IGS), and develop additional avenues of collaboration (e.g., IGS conference sessions for K-12 teachers sponsored by IGA).
  • Objective 6.2: Continue partnership with the Geographic Society of Chicago (GSC) (e.g., Geography Bee Reception), and develop additional avenues of collaboration.
  • Objective 6.3: Explore collaborations with the Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA), Illinois Department of Education, Illinois Council of Social Studies (ICSS), Teaching with Primary Sources Project (IL-TPS), Scientific State Surveys at the University of Illinois Prairie Research Institute (Geology, Natural History, Water, Sustainable Technology Center), IMPACT, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program.
  • Objective 6.4: Develop additional partnerships with Geography Programs, including student Geography Clubs, at other Illinois universities and colleges to create a broader network of expertise for IGA.

Goal 7

To increase political advocacy to promote geography education in Illinois K-12 schools

  • Objective 7.1: Develop a political advocacy plan.
  • Objective 7.2: Increase communications and contact with elected officials through an annual visit to legislative offices in Springfield and invitations to policy-makers to attend geography-related events (e.g., Geography Awareness Week events, Geography Bee, GIS Day).

Goal 8

To create a stronger financial base, which will increase opportunities for IGA to accomplish its goals and objectives

  • Objective 8.1: Develop a fundraising plan.
  • Objective 8.2: Identify specific corporate sponsors in the state and develop relationships for possible future fundraising activities.
  • Objective 8.3: Leverage fundraising training available from Illinois State University and National Geographic Society.

Goal 9

To develop outreach activities/events aimed at increasing geography awareness among the general populace of Illinois

  • Objective 9.1: Develop one public outreach activity/event (e.g., radio segments on local public radio stations) for Geography Awareness Week.
  • Objective 9.2: Explore additional public outreach opportunities to promote geography through popular media outlets.
  • Objective 9.3: Complete required Alliance Network projects as instructed from National Geographic Society (e.g., 2016 BioBlitz project) aimed at increasing general geographic awareness.
  • Objective 9.4: Develop a bicentennial action plan (e.g., develop activities/events, seek sponsors, public relations) for the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial.
  • Objective 9.5: Coordinate with state agencies and other NGOs in the planning of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial.