ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses geographic information system (GIS) applications in the context of school education in urban and regional environments. It demonstrates the methods through which GIS and spatial modelling can be used effectively by planners to monitor the education environment and to advise on decision-making processes within whichever of the education systems are in operation. The chapter illustrates the implementation of GIS and spatial analysis in the education sector. GIS could be applied in the approach to education planning by offering a better understanding of relationships between pupil populations and school locations through visualisation and analytical techniques. The chapter considers how spatial analysis, modelling and GIS can be applied to analyse pupil populations and forecasts, school networks and facilities to replicate interactions of demand and supply in primary, secondary and higher education. In addition to roll forecasting, as with primary and secondary schools, many higher education establishments might be interested to use GIS to plot their catchment areas.
