The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship
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The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship Laxmi Ramasubramanian, PhD, AICP President University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)
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The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship. Laxmi Ramasubramanian, PhD, AICP President University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS). A little bit about me & my work. Citizenship; Digital Citizenship. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship
The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship
Laxmi Ramasubramanian, PhD, AICPPresident
University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)
A little bit about me & my work
Digital Technologies & Web Apps
Planning Activities & Processes
Socio-Political &
Institutional Contexts
Citizenship; Digital Citizenship
Citizenship is a status that is bestowed upon those who are full members of a community
- T. H. Marshall, 1949
Digital citizenship is the ability to participate in society online
Digital citizens:• Use technology frequently;• Use technology for political information to fulfill their civic
obligations;• Use technology at work for economic gain
- Karen Mossberger, Caroline Tolbert, and Ramona McNeal, 2008
What is Spatial Citizenship?
Who is a Spatial Citizen?
- Adapted from T. Jekel, and I.Gryl, 2012
active participation
technicalcompetency
communicationcompetency
situational assessment
competency
methodologicalcompetency
spatial data and its representations
An individual who has the motivation, knowledge, skills, and competencies to access and reason with geo-information in order to participate in democratic processes
- Adapted from I. Gryl, T. Jekel, and K. Donert, 2010
SANDY STORIEShttps://sandystories.crowdmap.com/
Lauren Masseria
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIEShttp://google.org/crisismap/2012-sandy-nyc
Alyssa Pichardo
November 1: Map created by AlyssaNovember 2: 50,000 people had viewed the mapNovember 2: Google.org contacted Alyssa November 3: Alyssa’s map added to the Google Superstorm Sandy NYC Crisis Map.
Benefits of Spatial Citizenship• Problem solving & problem posing• Integrating qualitative and quantitative info• Promotes civic involvement• Geo-spatial solutions that are:
– Purpose-built;– Place-based solutions;– Developed in real time or in near real time;– Collaboratively;– At relatively low cost;– Respectful of local knowledge and experience;– Useful to different types of publics/ end users
Universities and GIS Adoption
• Amazing richness, where GIS can be found on an individual university campus;
• Many new academic departments; • More service roles for GIS on campuses • GIS is being extensively used to
– support community mapping activities (38%), – planning and emergency preparedness (36%),
and – data and services hosting (26%).
Moving Forward
• Challenges like sustainability, climate change, human rights and so on…
• Cannot focus solely on analysis, we have to use our knowledge and skills to synthesize, integrate, and communicate...
• University educators must take some responsibility for creating spatially aware citizens
Realizing the Promise
• Information sharing across disciplinary boundaries• Illustrating different dimensions of change• Visualizing/Integrating multiple opinions and
perspectives• Provides alternative ways of exploring data• Facilitating real time planning and decision-making• Improving participatory processes• Building community memory
