Ken Foote's Presentation at HT&T96, Slide #1

THE GEOGRAPHER'S CRAFT & VIRTUAL DEPARTMENT PROJECTS

Department of Geography

University of Texas at Austin

I. The Geographer's Craft Project

• The Information Revolution and Geography
• Conceptual Overview of the Project
• Toward the Electronic Textbook
• The Hypermedia Component

II. The Virtual Department Project

• Goals and Objectives
• The Homepage
• Models for Curriculum Development

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Ken Foote's Presentation at HT&T96, Slide #2

The Information Revolution and Geography

Discipline-Specific Tools

• Cartography and Computer-Assisted Drafting
• Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry
• Spatial Statisticd
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

General

• Communication and Collahoration
• Access to Library and Researck Materials and Sources
• Publication and Dissemination

Information technologies have had dramatic effects on all of these.

How do we meet the challenge of weaving these technologies into education?

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Ken Foote's Presentation at HT&T96, Slide #3

The Project Ideas

1. Attempt to reconceptualize the role of geographical tedirniquesin the undergraduate curriculum by more closely integrating instruction in geographical methods with education in geography's research traditions
2. Based on a problem-solving, rather than exercise-centered approach using interesting geographical issues and "learning" strategies to teach "appropriate" techniques
3. Organized around a two-semester introductory course sequence, 2-3 projects per semester
4. Attempts to integrate the teaching of many computer-based techniques included cartography, CAD, GIS, remote sensing and statistics
5. Based upon the gradual conversion of course into hypermedia and multimedia format to create an on-line electronic textbook.
6. Takes a broad view of how information technologies are affecting geography and the academic environment, more than just GIS and teclmiques. Computer literacy implies "computer-assisted reasoning"

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   Ken Foote's Presentation at HT&T96, Slide #5

   Toward the Electronic Textbook

   Composed of text, images, maps, motion video, and sound linked electronically by multiples routes, chains, or trails in an open-ended, perpetually unfinished assemblage described best in terms of links, nodes, networks, webs, and paths. The term is synonymous with multimedia and closely related to hypertext.
   1. Uses text, images, motion video, and sound to take adwa~e of best and most appropriate resources, omes with which students are now familiar
   2. Can promote independent thought and problem-solving skills
   3. Enriches traditional lecture and discussion formats, does not replace them
   4. Is intrinsically nonlinear
      • Can be used to mirror non-linear, associative reasoning and thought
      • Linearity can be simulated, if need, to aid navigation
      

      This Forum on Hypermedia Teaching & Technology is sponsored by NetTech, the Education Alliance at Brown, and STG. Email questions, comments, etc. to Roger Blumberg at Roger_Blumberg@brown.edu