"Understanding Place" is a reference for teachers who wish to deepen student involvement by using GIS technology to analyze and visualize information. Using interactive maps, students in all disciplines have the opportunity to go beyond words to develop the skills and habits of seeing, thinking, and communicating with information-rich images. When students use GIS and mapping as tools to practice inquiry in their fields, they see more, understand more, and engage in a meaningful way with their subjects. Contributors candidly describe GIS-based teaching, learning, and research across the range of a liberal arts and sciences curriculum.