Hi Trileigh,
A number of people have been tilting at this in the US as well. George
Brimhall at UC Berkeley has used PC tablet systems and integrated software
and data sets with GPS for years. The system has met with mixed success
(especially with cranky software) but has some distinct strengths too.
There is a broader, informal consortium of field camps also working with
these devices called the GeoPad consortium, and you can find information
about them and relevant links at the SERC website,
http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/geopad/whoisusing.html .
Laura A. Guertin at Penn State Brandywine has also been working with this
lately, with Palm handhelds instead of full tablet PCs. She presented an
abstract about it at GSA in Houston in our session on research on
field-based learning -
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Paper48866.html . She might
be able to give you more links and tips with that level of hardware.
My general experience is that students often get too wound up in the
technology to make the learning scaffolding helpful, and often that paper
and pencil mapping is the best way to start. This is just my experience
though and Iım sure others have found better results with different
approaches, and clearly the full pedagogical approach needs to be carefully
thought through. Learning gains with various technological assistance in
the field has also not been fully characterized yet (in my opinion only), so
anything you could contribute along these lines would be welcome!
Best of luck,
Eric Riggs
On 12/27/08 12:54 PM, "Trileigh Tucker" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> To date I've been a lurker only, but I now have a question I'd be interested
> in your feedback on.
>
> I'm considering some equipment acquisitions for my intro labs - in
> particular, some electronics that might help both students'
> conceptualizations in the field and the transition back to the classroom.
>
> I had thought of some combination of GPS + tablet computer + mapping tools;
> does such a combination package exist in integrated form? So ideally, we
> could mark exactly where we are on the map, enter sample information, link
> photos to the map sites, and preserve any explanatory sketches I make while
> with the students in the field. Then these could be archived for our course
> website, or emailed to students later on.
>
> Has anyone developed or used such a system? Obviously, each component of it
> could be done in good low-tech form, but less easily so the posting and
> emailing.
>
> All ideas welcome, including recommendations for particular brands and
> models.
>
> Thanks and good wishes for 2009,
> Trileigh
>
> **************************
> Trileigh Tucker, Ph.D.
> Associate Professor
> Environmental Studies Program
> Seattle University
> (206) 296-6492
>
Eric M. Riggs, Ph.D.
Co-Director, CRESME
Center for Research and Engagement in Science and
Mathematics Education
Associate Professor of Geoscience Education and Geology
Departments of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and Curriculum & Instruction
Purdue University
Felix Haas Hall, Suite 202
250 North University Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2066
CRESME: (765) 494-2781
Research Office: (765) 496-1974
http://cresme.education.purdue.edu/
http://www.purdue.edu/eas/riggslab/
