AGRG Directed Studies Project

Ashley Lawrence & Meredith Roik

Outline

Introduction: What is community mapping? Who is involved in community mapping? Importance of community mapping Who we taught Methods of Instruction Reference materials for those who attended Future workshops under development Conclusion

What is Community Mapping?

Approaches a way to expand access to “local knowledge”

Visualizing community-based knowledge and perceptions encourages the exchange of information and equalizes opportunities for all members of the community to participate in processes that affect their neighbourhoods and lives.

-Wansoo Im, Ph.D

Centre for Community Mapping, May 14, 2008

http://www.centerforcommunitymapping.org/default.htm

Who is involved in community mapping? Community organizations Citizen associations Non-Profit Organizations Other locally-situated civil institutions Minority and specialized groups

Importance of Community Mapping Improve and increase public involvement

Allow the community and its members an opportunity to evaluate design and planning proposals and visualize the impacts that decisions may have on the future of a community

A significant contribution to geographyProcess of collecting and improving geospatial dataEnhancing our knowledge of the EarthLocal focusEngaging citizens

A desire to fill gaps in available dataEspecially in areas where data are not availableOr where access is denied for security

Help the average person advance with technologyNot just a select few (technical experts) who

know ‘what to do’

Importance of Community Mapping

Wikimapia http://wikimapia.org

An Example

Who we taught Kingstech NSCC Campus

As part of their Wellness Week, we introduced them to GeoCaching

Coastal CURALocal community group concerned with

Maritime water resources Lawrencetown Consolidated School

Introduced Grade 4 students to GPS and how to map in Google Earth

Bridgetown High SchoolDemonstrated to grade 9’s how to collect

GPS data and display in Google Earth Bridgetown Elementary School

Introduced Grade 4 students to GPS and how to map in Google Earth

Coastal CURA

LCS

Methods of Instruction Modified and created a variety of PowerPoint

presentations

Hands-On learning with the GPS units and with the HP Tablets

Moodle for continued learning and access all presentations and reference material

Demonstrate to teachers ways to incorporate GPS/GIS into the academic curriculum

Lesson Plan Brief Introduction to GPS and how to use the

GPS units (Garmin GPSmap 76x) Outside to collect GPS

points and tracks

Lesson Plan Download

collected points and tracks

Demonstrate how to display collected data in Google Earth

Presentations / Tutorials we made that are available

on Moodle

Reference Materialhttp://www.gissandbox.net/moodle

Coastal CURA

March 6 & 7

Lawrencetown Consolidated School

May 13 & 15

Workshops under development

Coastal CURA: Workshop focused more on GIS using various

(free) available software with attention on each member’s personal GIS needs

School GroupsVisiting more classes and demonstrating how to

use GPS and the HP TabletsFind GIS software for teachers to use and show

students (ArcVoyager, ArcExplorer Student Edition)

Conclusion

“ GPS and Google have changed how many people view and think about their ‘space’ ”

- Christopher J. Seeger Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist

September 19, 2007 (Santa Barbara conference on Volunteered Geographic Information)

Thank you to …

Bob Maher, Roger Mosher, Heather Stewart, Jeff Wentzell, and numerous other (behind the scenes) staff members from AGRG

David MacLean and Paul Illsley from COGS Bill Whitman from Coastal CURA Nick Baskwill and Lynn Roscoe from

Lawrencetown Consolidated School Patricia Thomas from Bridgetown High School Mr. Saunders and Mrs. Rafuse from Bridgetown

Elementary School