Engaging Students with Interactive Web-Based Mapping

MAGIC – magic.lib.uconn.edu MAGIC – magic.lib.uconn.edu

Engaging Students with Interactive, Web-based Mapping

Curtis Denton and Michael Howser University of Connecticut

Jack Dougherty Trinity College


Outline •  Why Interactive mapping? •  Engaging students with spatial concepts •  On the Line: Examples of interactive maps

for student engagement •  Tools and resources for creating

interactive maps for the classroom


While this looks fun…

It’s only engaging to a select few.


Better….

but s4ll capturing that same crowd.


Is this more engaging?

1934 2008


Interactive is essential •  Print maps are great… but do not capture

the attention spans of today’s students •  Examine curriculum topics from

– Spatial perspective – Temporal perspective

•  Integrate data from multiple sources •  Ex. Fault lines, earthquakes, and population data

•  Interactive ≠ expensive or difficult

MAGIC – magic.lib.uconn.edu

Spatial and Temporal Context What do the following items have in common?

June 1


Does this help?


Static to Dynamic!


Infusion of Interactive in the Classroom

•  Don’t teach the technology, teach with the technology

•  Contextualization –  Spatial –  Temporal

•  Relate to local/familiar areas


On the Line

A collaborative approach to interactive maps


What is On the Line?


Tools used to create interactive maps for On the Line

Resources Used •  Google Maps API •  Google Fusion Tables •  ArcGIS.com •  HistoryPin

Requirements •  Interactive tools must

be platform apple, windows, and mobile friendly

•  No special plug-ins •  Free


Google Maps API •  Search address

tool •  Pan •  Zoom •  Switch between

layers •  Linked views •  Linked zooms •  Linked documents •  Time sliders


Making Maps with Google Maps


Google Maps


What is Google Maps? •  Address

searchable •  Point-to-point

addressing •  Research public

transits options and yellow pages listings


Things you can do! •  Explore

locations •  Compare •  Create maps!


Making your own maps! •  MyMaps

– Placemarks (points) – Lines – Shape (polygons) – embed photos & videos –  Import KML’s

•  Share •  Collaborate


Exploring the World with Google Earth


Google Earth


What is Google Earth? •  Travel the world •  Satellite imagery •  Maps •  Terrain •  3D buildings •  Embed pictures and videos •  Create tours •  Access to diverse geographic data


Import data •  Overlay imagery (BMP, DDS, GIF, JPG,

PGM, PNG, PPM, TGA, TIFF) •  KML (Keyhole Markup Language) data •  Import GPS data •  Embed photos and videos


Explore the urban landscape


Explore the environment


Access existing content


Explore the past


Google Fusion Tables

What is it, and how can it be used in the classroom?


What is Google Fusion Tables? •  Web based interface for uploading,

managing, and visualizing large datasets •  Builds upon Google Docs and Google

Maps •  Includes API to develop custom interfaces •  Enables sharing of large datasets


Accessing Google Fusion Tables

hAp://www.google.com/fusiontables


Importing Data •  Data formats supported include:

– Spreadsheets (.csv, .tsv, or .txt) – Microsoft Excel – Google Docs Spreadsheets – KML Files (not KMZ)


Google Fusion Example: 2010 Census in Texas


Google Fusion Example: Poverty by School District


Making Maps Online with ArcGIS.com


What is ArcGIS.com? •  Web-based map

creation interface •  Enables collaborative

map creation •  Users can contribute

data to share via ArcGIS.com

•  Free!


Importing Data •  Data formats supported include:

– Spreadsheets (.csv, .txt) – Shapefiles (.zip) – WGS84 projection – GPS files (GPX)

La8tude field Longitude field la8tude longitude

lat long

y x

ycenter xcenter

point-‐y point-‐x


Adding Data from the Web •  Data can be imported

from the following: –  ArcGIS Server Web

Service –  OGC Web Service

(WMS) –  KML file (Google Earth)


ArcGIS Example from Gallery

ArcGIS.com


Special Thanks! •  Jack Dougherty, Katie Campbell, and Jean-Pierre

Haeberly (Trinity College) •  National Endowment for the Humanities •  Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental

Protection •  Office of Policy and Management •  University of Connecticut: Department of Geography,

Libraries, Libraries IT Services, MAGIC, CLEAR, Department of Natural Resources

•  Connecticut Geographic Alliance •  U.S. Census Bureau, Boston Regional Office


Explore more

Explore, contribute, comment at: http://ontheline.trincoll.edu


Questions? Map and Geographic Information Center – MAGIC & Connecticut State Data Center at the University of Connecticut Libraries 369 Fairfield Way Phone: 860-486-4589 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Engaging Students with Interactive Web-Based Mapping

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