Using Spatial Technologies in the Geography Classroom
USING SPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES USING SPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE GEOGRAPHY IN THE GEOGRAPHY
CLASSROOMCLASSROOM
The first picture taken of Earth from space, October 24, 1946.
Spatial literacy and spatial Spatial literacy and spatial technologiestechnologies
To be considered ‘spatially literate’, an individual must have the ability to capture and communicate knowledge in the form of a map, to understand
and recognise the world as view from above, to recognise and interpret patterns, and to comprehend such basic concepts as scale, projection
and spatial resolution
Goodchild (2006)
What are spatial technologiesWhat are spatial technologies
Spatial technologies include any form of
technology that refers to place, space and
location. Specifically, they are technologies
that organize and collect data, by referencing the
information collected to a point on the
earth’s surface using latitude and longitude. Image taken by Apollo 11, 1969
Eighty per cent of all information gathered today has a spatial or
geographical component. This means that most information is tied to a
place.
This is a Landsat 7 Satellite image (WRS Path 179, Row 77, centre: -24.56, 14.93) of Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia's vast Namib Desert – Taken from Earth as Art.
Since the development of Google Earth in 2005, there has been a surge of innovation as new technologies have linked places on
the internet to places in the real world.
The power of spatial technologies to communicate a message have
become more obvious.
Remote sensing is the science and art of obtaining information about the
Earth’s surface without being in contact with it.
Remote Sensing and ImageryRemote Sensing and Imagery
Taken from Earth as Art.
Global positioning systems Global positioning systems GPSGPS
GPS is a satellite-based navigation
technology that uses a network of 24
satellites placed in orbit to determine locations on earth.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn5079
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/gpsequipped-jacket-lets-parents-track-their-children/2007/10/25/1192941200365.html
Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt where you use a GPS receiver to find
caches (treasures) hidden by other players.
http://geocaching.com.au/
http://www.confluence.org/
A computer-based mapping software that
collects, stores and analyses previously
unrelated information into easily understood
maps. The GIS program represents the data as layers of information (called themes). These layers of data
can be turned on or off, according to what the user wants to look at and the relationships they
are trying to find.
Geographic information systems GISGeographic information systems GIS
“The most terrible outbreak of cholera
which occurred in this kingdom is probably that which took place
in Broad Street, Golden Square and adjoining streets [of Soho]…there were
upwards of five hundred attacks of
cholera in ten days”.Dr John Snow
The first GIS map?The first GIS map?
http://maps.google.com/
http://www.ozcoasts.org.au/
http://www.pdc.org/atlas/html/atlas-viewer.jsp
http://risingfromruin.msnbc.com/stories.html
Virtual field tripsVirtual field trips
Online Map Linked to Fatal Turn
Sydney Morning Herald
Questionable directions given by
online mapping services could have contributed to the death of James Kim, who perished while trying to save his stranded family.
Asher Moses, 8th December, 2006
Insurgents ‘Using Google Earth’
Telegraph.co.uk
Insurgents could be using satellite images from a
popular website to mount attacks on British and
American bases in Iraq, defence experts said last
night.
Jasper Copping, 17th December 2005
SPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES: IN SPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES: IN THE NEWSTHE NEWS