Teaching Topographic Map Skills and Geomorphology Concepts with Google Earth in a One-Computer Classroom

Abstract

Teaching high-school geomorphological concepts and topographic map reading entails many challenges. This research reports the applicability and effectiveness of Google Earth in teaching topographic map skills and geomorphology concepts, by a single teacher, in a one-computer classroom. Compared to learning via conventional instructional methods, students learning with Google Earth do not develop differing geomorphology concepts because both settings enable students to learn with similar static representation. However, students learning with Google Earth improve topographic map skills significantly compared to conventional instructional methods. This is because of the 3D landscape visualization and prior knowledge connections available with Google Earth.

2D Cartography Training: Has the Time Come for a Paradigm Shift?

“…While topographic maps have been and continue to be used for teaching cartography, researchers such as Griffin and Lock [5] found that there are inherent perceptual problems in contour line interpretation. These difficulties have generated problems of frustration/motivation among students [6][7][8][9]. Further, issues such as landform representation, spatial skills acquisition, or processes of spatial knowledge construction with different forms of relief representation continue to be active fields of research including recent works by Carbonell [10,11], Collins [12], Tillman, Albrecht and Wunderlich [13], Eynard and Bernhard [14], and Brooke and Bernhard [3].…”

Design of three-dimensional cartographical didactic materials for Physical Geography teaching

“…The use of GE has shown its effectiveness as a didactic tool for the teaching of geography (Allen, 2008, Demirci et al, 2013. The students who learn with GE improve their abilities to read the topographic map, as well as to assimilate concepts of geomorphology (Hsu et al, 2017). In fact, the application of 3D geovisualization techniques has become a priority objective of researchers for scientific, educational and outreach purposes (Dübel & Schumann, 2017).…”

“…In fact, the application of 3D geovisualization techniques has become a priority objective of researchers for scientific, educational and outreach purposes (Dübel & Schumann, 2017). On the other hand, generating photorealistic 3D images could be an extraordinary recourse to explain a particular landform, the configuration and evolution of the relief or landscape or to acquire mapping skills (Hsu et al, 2017). The 3D representation and visualization of the terrain in novelty applications such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, or the creation of 3D models with SfM technique, with the possibility of generating stereoscopic images, opens up multiple possibilities in the teaching of geography or geology (Smith et al, 2015).…”

“…Moreover, it is also possible to drape various thematic layers to the DEM and apply different rendering techniques to obtain photorealistic scenes (Priestnall, 2009;Dübel & Schumann, 2017). Since the emergence of Google Earth (GE) at the beginning of the 21st century, this tool has been one of the most used in the teaching of geography and geology (Patterson, 2007;Sanchez, 2009, Demirci et al, 2013Hsu et al, 2017). In fact, students can visualize in GE different spatial information in a threedimensional way, and even elaborate topographical profiles easily (Hsu et al, 2017).…”

“…Since the emergence of Google Earth (GE) at the beginning of the 21st century, this tool has been one of the most used in the teaching of geography and geology (Patterson, 2007;Sanchez, 2009, Demirci et al, 2013Hsu et al, 2017). In fact, students can visualize in GE different spatial information in a threedimensional way, and even elaborate topographical profiles easily (Hsu et al, 2017). On the other hand, the recent development of the Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry is allowing to obtain 3D models of the landscape surface (Smith et al, 2015).…”