Geo-spatial and Visualisation L&T materials -

the e-MapScholar project

Barbara MorrisBCS 2002

University of Portsmouth

Project Aims and Duration

• e-MapScholar aims to produce a range of materials that encourage and support the use of spatial data, including the digital map data available from EDINA Digimap, in learning and teaching

• These materials are:– Teaching Case Studies– Online learning materials– Virtual Placement

• Duration of e-MapScholar: January 2001 to April 2003

The EDINA Digimap service

• Digimap is a web-based mapping service, offering access to Ordnance Survey digital map data

• National service, serving 72 HE institutions

• Digimap offers an easy-to-use, map-based interface, allowing:– creation of maps on-screen – printing of high quality maps– downloading of digital map data for use in GIS or graphics

packages– advanced cartographic services e.g. combining of datasets,

changing scale

e-MapScholar - collaborative project

• Funded by JISC• Led by EDINA• Associate Partners: Dept of Geography, University of

Edinburgh; Dept of Geomatics, University of Newcastle; Institute of Educational Technology, Open University

• Advisors and Associates from: LTSN Subject Centres GEES and Built Environment; LTU at University of Aberdeen; Dept of Information Science at City University; Netskills at University of Newcastle; and Ordnance Survey

• Teaching colleagues from around the UK have been funded to write case studies and online materials

e-MapScholar will provide ...

• A range of Teaching Case Studies in various subject disciplines• Online learning materials in Working with Digital Map Data,

Integrating Spatial Data and Data Visualisation• Online materials include interactive tools for use by students to

illustrate key concepts and perform some basic analytical tasks• Managed via a Content Management System that allows

lecturers to customise materials through provision of discipline and place specific examples

• Virtual Placement - subject of which is a wind farm development in Wales

Current Status of Project

• A number of case studies to be released for general use soon• Others to be added up to end of project• Beta testing of online learning materials starts

November/December in 3/4 trial sites• Beta testing of content management system to take place

January in 3/4 trial sites• Virtual placement currently being trialled - more content to be

added• Release of all project outputs to community May 2003

Teaching Case Studies ...

• Materials given to the class• Descriptions• Pedagogical details• Technical and support requirements• Evaluations by students and staff where possible• Reflection by author• 10 funded by JISC• Further number funded by OS• In a variety of subject disciplines

Customisable online learning materials

Learning materials are being developed as “learning objects”, at unit and resource level

A core set of units is being authored which teaching staff can customise

Teaching staff will be able to build learning resources for their students from these learning units

Teaching staff will be able to publish their customised units for use by the community

Customisable tools

Learning units contain interactive tools which are generic and can be used in different learning materials

Tools, and the content they display, are customisable by teaching staff

Tools and learning materials access maps and data from the EDINA Digimap service in real-time

Other features

Learning resources include self-assessment exercises The self-assessment exercises are customisable A glossary of commonly used words and phrases will be

accessible at any point Based around the IMS Learning Resource Meta-data

Information Model [insert link]

Learning Content Management System

Manages the learning units and resources Enables the construction of customised learning units

and resources Allows the lecturer to publish his/her customised units

and resources to the community if s/he wishes Will provide search facilities

for the units and resources

at unit and resource level,

and also within the units and

resources themselves

Virtual Placement

• Innovative tool to support learning about real-world application of digital geographic information in a work-place context

• First cut now developed - to be supplemented• Available at end of project • Subject is visual impact of wind turbines at Nant Carfan

development in Wales