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Developing a Geo-Collaborative Web Map to Support Student Fieldwork

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Geospatial Visualisation

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography ((ICA))

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Abstract

We begin by reiterating the pedagogic benefits of fieldwork and e-Learning individually before demonstrating added value by integrating the two with social networks and a collaborative infrastructure. Utilizing an exercise repeated over 2 days with identical goals but different instructional methodologies, we present the results from students’ engagement within our geocollaborative web map environment. We developed an innovative, award winning fieldcourse experience by building on web-based learning undertaken before the trip, enhanced staff—student communication, reflective learning and inquiry-based learning during the trip through widespread use of mobile technology and social networks.

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Acknowledgments

This work was part funded by the transforming curriculum delivery through technology JISC e-learning programme Mobilising Remote Student Engagement (MoRSE), a collaborative project between researchers at Kingston University London and De Montfort University, Leicester. It was also part‐funded by the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) Subject Centre Learning and Teaching Development fund programme Mobile Decision‐making in the Cloud (MobiDIC) project. The work was undertaken by the authors whilst they were academic staff at Kingston University. The innovative pedagogy led to an Esri (UK)® Innovation in GIS award in 2010 and the TweetMap won an Esri® User Conference award for ‘Best Multimedia Map’ also in 2010. The authors particularly thank the students who contributed to the research undertaken and the overall enjoyment of the fieldcourse and trust that the work informs future versions of the trip run by Kingston University. Malts!

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Risk Frontiers, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

    James O’Brien

  2. Esri Inc, Redlands, California, USA

    Kenneth Field

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  1. James O’Brien
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Correspondence to James O’Brien .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Surveying, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Antoni Moore

  2. School of Geography, Geology &, Environmental Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Igor Drecki

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O’Brien, J., Field, K. (2013). Developing a Geo-Collaborative Web Map to Support Student Fieldwork . In: Moore, A., Drecki, I. (eds) Geospatial Visualisation. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12289-7_7

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