About e-MapScholar: phase 1

The project proposes to enhance the usability and learning potential of spatial data resources, extant within the tertiary education sector, by developing three sets of new resources. The resources to be developed fall into the following categories:

Teaching case studies
Learning resource centre with customisable on-line learning materials
Virtual work placement (proof-of-concept)

Teaching case studies

The teaching case studies were commissioned in an open call to the community for proposals and all case studies will be finished and available to the community by April 2003. They will consist of the data and materials used by the learners, along with descriptions of the uses made of the data and learning materials, and evaluations by staff and students, where obtainable. The case studies will address as many different subject areas and uses (e.g. self-study and group projects, undergraduate and postgraduate, classroom-based and open learning) as possible.

It is hoped that the case studies will inspire educators to use the data in similar ways in their own coursework and demonstrate the potential advantages of using these data, while helping to avoid mistakes and streamline teaching material preparation. Tutors can download and customise locally the class materials, subject to acknowledgement of the original author(s).

Learning resource centre with customisable on-line learning materials

Customisable online learning materials, which incorporate software tools, have been developed in three areas: (1) working with digital map data, e.g. understanding maps and working with maps; (2) data integration, including point, line and area digitisation and uploading of data from other sources, and (3) data visualisation, including 2D and 3D visualisations and problem solving.

A core set of learning materials have been developed at unit and resource level. Teaching staff can create and customise learning resources for their students from the learning units, which each address particular concepts or skills practice.

Key features of these resources are:

• Teaching staff can customise the resources and units through the e-MapScholar Learning Content Management System.
• The learning units contain interactive tools that are generic and utilised in different learning materials.
• The tools and learning materials are online resources that access maps and data from the EDINA Digimap service in real-time.
• Learning resources include self-assessment exercises for the students to test their own learning.
• A glossary of commonly used words and phrases will be accessible at any point.
• Students are invited to submit comments and feedback on the learning units to EDINA using online forms.

The team will focus on the provision of learning units, based on learning objectives, rather than lengthy tutorials. A content management system will allow lecturing staff to customise the content of the learning units and use them in existing courses. Students will also be able to access them and choose concepts to study in which they need further assistance. The learning units will be described with meta-data, allowing the production of customisable paths through the learning units.

Virtual work placement

Problem-based learning represents a powerful pedagogic tool to develop student confidence and problem-solving skills. The team has developed a proof-of-concept 'virtual placement', a real-life problem from an outside partner organisation, through which the learner has to work in order to arrive at a reasoned solution.

During the placement a student will carry out an assessment of the visual impact of wind turbines at the Nant Carfan development in Wales, using material provided by the Macauley Institute in Aberdeen.

In addition to using Digimap data to satisfy various elements of the placement work, the student will be provided with land cover data (Land Cover of Great Britain), wind turbine locations and height details (Countryside Council of Wales), road network (interpreted from Ordnance Survey Strategic data) and data on the boundary of common areas (Countryside Council for Wales).

Tutors will be able to set up the placement to control release of information to students and plant 'bombshells' to mimic real-life work problems through which the students must work. Students will have access to an online portfolio, in which they can store their work.

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