The Use of the Digital “Vorarlberg Atlas” in the Subject of Geography and Economics: Experiences from a School Project

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to show various possibilities for the use of WebGIS applications, when dealing with regional questions arising in the school subject of Geography and Economics. By using digital atlases of the Austrian provinces-WebGIS applications run by regional province administrations-students acquire various key competences: they encounter comprehensive geographic methods by working with maps and statistics, and they develop soft skills such as critically reflecting and interpreting data provided by the largest source of regional geodata of their federal state. In the following class project, the students collect their own data and use the provincial digital atlases to portray the results in thematic maps. In addition to the many possibilities these atlases offer, difficulties using this approach in the classroom will also be discussed. Through the creation of an "emotional space map" students learn that their own evaluation of space, and their spatial behavior is not simply constructed by objective criteria, but is influenced by personal conduct and spatial perception. In their search for possible suggestions to improve a city's image, students recognize the impact each individual's conduct has on the quality of life, and learn that there is no simple way of resolving the numerous emerging problems.