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://earth.google.com/

Google Earth

Globalis: An Interactive World Map

http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/

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