Digital maps for learning: a review and prospects

Authors:
Ann Jones;Canan Blake;Clare Davies;Eileen Scanlon
Affiliations:
Institute of Educational Technology, Open University, Walton Hall, Miiton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK;Institute of Educational Technology, Open University, Walton Hall, Miiton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK;Psychology Department, Northwestern University;Institute of Educational Technology, Open University, Walton Hall, Miiton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
Venue:
Computers & Education
Year:
2004

Citing 5
Cited 0

Enhancing the explanatory power of usability heuristics

CHI '94 Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Usability evaluation with the cognitive walkthrough

CHI '95 Conference Companion on Human Factors in Computing Systems
External cognition: how do graphical representations work?

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies
Do People Understand Spatial Concepts: The Case of First-Order Primitives

Proceedings of the International Conference GIS - From Space to Territory: Theories and Methods of Spatio-Temporal Reasoning on Theories and Methods of Spatio-Temporal Reasoning in Geographic Space
Visualization of fuzzy data using generalized animation

VIS '92 Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Visualization '92

Quantified Score

Hi-index	0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Over the last 10 years there has been a rapid increase in the development and use of digital maps for teaching and learning in Higher Education. There is also a political drive to encourage and foster best practice in this area. This is part of a more general initiative on fostering the development and demonstrating the impact of the use of digital resources in education, as evidenced by recent funding programmes by JISC [1] in the UK and NSF [2] in the US. This paper presents and discusses the evaluation of digital resources to support the use of digital maps for learning. First it reviews the use of digital maps for learning, outlining the features that make them powerful tools, before then considering the more general literature on learners' use of maps which suggests that although they have great potential, the use of digital maps by learners may not be straightforward.The paper then discusses a project called 'e-MapScholar', which was funded by JISC [3]. The 'e-Map-Scholar' project has been developing tools and learning and teaching materials to enhance and support the use of geo-spatial data currently available within tertiary education, including digital map data. The project includes teaching case studies of how such resources can be used and have been used in practice. The e-MapScholar project serves to illustrate the possibilities of learning with digital maps and the challenge of delivering on this possibility. The final two sections of the paper discuss the outcomes of the e-MapScholar evaluation and conclude with prospects for the use of digital maps in education.