Derek Thompson, David Wong, Frank Lindsay, Paul Davis et alia
The University of Maryland, College Park
Geographic information systems software and geographic databases are a powerful combination as an infrastructure for facilitating learning with instuctional technology. We are exploiting such a foundation in the development of a pedagogic environment for fostering student learning about urban landscapes. Over a three-year period the project participants, located at six universities, will design, build, use, and evaluate a resource of nine learning units, a knowledge-base of learning aids and selected geographic content, and a geographic-database for each of five metropolises.
Each learning unit will consist of a particular assisngment, embodying specific tasks for students to undertake. There will be associated examples of targets for students to aim at, links to on-line aids, World Wide Web resources, and other materials. The units cover topics such as What Time is this Place?, Urban Ecology, Changing Neighborhoods, and Urban Transportation.
A geographic database for each metropolis will be founded largely on the base of 1990 census demographic and housing data for blocks and block-groups. Other important themes will include land-use, land-value, zoning, vegetation, and transportation infrastructure. Among other things, the knowledge base will contain examples of visualization techniques, hints on how to construct a portfolio of accomplishments, images of generalizations and theoretical models about the internal spatial variations for urban areas, and evaluation tools for instructors.
The session will comprise short presentations by four principal project participants on some of the work accomplished during the first year of the project. Some of the material will be presented in demonstration mode.
Acknowledgement is made to the principal source of funds for the project, the FIPSE of the U.S. Department of Education. Additional support has been provided by the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., the George Mason University, and the University of Maryland at College Park.
Dr. Derek Thompson
Dept. of Geography
The University of Maryland
2181 LeFrak Hall
College Park, Maryland 20742-8225
(301) 405-4063
FAX: (301) 314-9299
Email: dt11@umail.umd.edu