ES / TLT 368: Teaching and Learning with Geospatial Tools (Summer, 2016)

Owned by Tom Hammond
Last updated: Jul 13, 2016
4 min read

Catalog description: Exploration of geospatial tools, including but not limited to global positioning systems (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), and related visualization tools (e.g., Google Earth). Application of these tools and techniques to instructional settings, including appropriate pedagogy and assessment.

Course format: This class is a short-form course, meeting face-to-face for 8 days over a 9-day stretch (Tues, 5 July through Wed, 13 July; no class on Sat, 9 July). Class beings at 8:30 am and ends at 1:00 pm.

Recommended equipment, software & web services

  • GPS unit or GPS-enabled smartphone. I have GPS units for students to borrow during the course. (They are far more accurate than any smartphone app that I have seen to date.)
  • Google Earth: http://www.google.com/earth/ – I believe the "Pro" version is currently free!
  • My World GIS: No longer sold or available as a trial download. PC version available from the instructor...but it looks like the Mac version can't work as a local install in our classroom.
  • ArcGIS.com: https://www.arcgis.com/home/signin.html– free web-based GIS from Esri. Can also use Lehigh account, accessible from lu.maps.arcgis.com
  • (A spreadsheet program; Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheets or an equivalent)
  • For those interested in augmented reality: ARIS (Augmented Reality Interactive Storytelling): http://arisgames.org/

Class sessions & topics – Each topic links to supporting pages. I will be posting as much material as possible on this publicly-available wiki and will make minimal use of CourseSite. Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due on the day in which they're listed.

  • Tuesday, July 5: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
    • Review of syllabus (pdf)
    • Significance of geospatial tools: ConnectED initiative, geospatially-related careers / workforce, resources for geospatial education
    • Relative vs. absolute location (i.e., lat-lon) – I'm going to defer to Wikipedia's entry on Location (geography) for this.
    • GPS activity to apply & extend understanding of lat-lon, geospatial awareness.
    • A limited discussion of geocaching.
    • Connecting GPS activity & Google Earth
    • Introduction to Google Earth: Interface & navigation; basic markup; editing, organizing, saving, & sharing markup

 

  • Wednesday, July 6: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
  • Thursday, July 7: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
  • Friday, July 8: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
  • Saturday, July 9: No class

  • Sunday, July 10: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
    • Augmented reality, using ARIS
      • As a true geospatial tool: Outdoor game triggered by lat-lon
      • As a human-space tool: Indoor activity using QR codes
      • For those interested: Readings on AR are in CourseSite
    • GIS work time / intro to building in ARIS
    • A necessary but entirely wholesome evil: Spreadsheet kung-fu
    • assignment due: GIS proof-of-concept: GIS files (or web URL, if you are using ArcGIS.com), plus text file describing how you hope to use the finished product and what you need to do to complete it.

  • Monday, July 11: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
    • Augmented reality coda
    • A necessary topic: Map design
    • Affinity groups: Discuss GIS work, final project
    • Geospatial tools and pedagogy: Direct instruction v. inquiry, emerging area of game-based learning 
    • Working time

  • Tuesday, July 12: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
  • Wednesday, July 13: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
    • Checking in on project work, presentation work
    • The history and the frontier of geospatial tools: From early examples of spatial reasoning to the current extraction industry
    • Illustration of value-added from geospatial tools
    • Working time
    • Closing ceremonies
    • assignment due: Final project files and presentation files of final project. These can be turned in no later than Sunday, July 17. 

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