AGILE 2010 Pre-Conference Workshop

26 February 2010, 4:05pm

Spatial Thinking Workshop description

Spatial literacy, and associated ideas such as spatial thinking and spatial cognition, have been the focus of several recent and distinctive academic initiatives and programs around the globe (e.g. LENS, CSISS, SPLINT). Shared goals include a better understanding of the ways in which we think and learn spatially, and an application of that knowledge to educational domains. This understanding has implications for the ways in which we teach and learn GIS and the utility of GIS as a tool for addressing spatially-based problems in the world. The rise of Web 2.0 and lay-engagement with digital neo-geographies make understanding how we develop and encourage good spatial practice even more important.

Through the medium of this workshop and associated hands-on demonstrations and discussions, and subject to the papers submitted, this workshop will bring together researchers from different communities to consider some of the following questions:

* How can we bring multiple perspectives on spatial thinking together to build a thread of common understanding on major definitions and issues, on which future work can be based?

* How can we encourage spatial literacy amongst users of GIS? For example, what digital, electronic, mobile and laboratory – based tools can we bring together?

* Can we design new and more intelligent user interfaces to GI or web mapping widgets that explicitly assist users to applying spatial thinking principles as they apply the functions of the software?

* Are visual methods of value in encouraging spatial learning, or do they simply appeal largely to learners with extant visio-spatial strengths?

The workshop will take place on 11th May as a pre-conference workshop of the 13th AGILE International Conference on Geographic Information Science in Guimarães, Portugal. All workshop participants have to register through the AGILE conference website.

Paper Submission

Attendees are invited to submit short papers on spatial thinking via extended abstract. Abstracts should be up to four pages in length (max 2000 words). Authors should indicate whether they are interested in developing their abstract into a full paper for a journal special edition or contribute to a research agenda couched as a journal position paper. Competition for space to present at length during the workshop will be highly limited. We expect to invite approximately 3-4 speakers to give 15 minute presentations and to give further opportunities for others to pose shorter 2-slide summaries of their research findings/further research questions. Invitations are invited from those at all stages of their research career.

Please send your submission by e-mail to Mrs Janet Carter, jc115@le.ac.uk .

Additionally, we welcome hands-on demos, visualizations and posters relating to concepts of spatial thinking, electronic or otherwise. We actively encourage participants to “show” tools they have developed to encourage spatial thinking in their students or as part of software tools they have developed. Participants are requested to bring software on their own equipment where possible, unless standard browser functionality only is required.

Please advise whether you would like to bring a demo by e-mail to Mrs Janet Carter, jc115@le.ac.uk. If you have specific requests, for example poster boards, access to plug sockets, use of a table for your demo tool or laptop, please let us know in advance as liaison with the local conference organizers will be required.

Important Dates

Deadline for submission - 27 March 2010

Notification of acceptance - 10 April 2010

Workshop - 11 May 2010

Programme Committee

Diana Sinton, University of Redlands, USA. Email: diana_sinton@redlands.edu

Claire Jarvis, University of Leicester, UK. Email: chj2@le.ac.uk

Organisation

Janet Carter, Department of Geography, University of Leicester, Email: jc115@le.ac.uk, Phone: +44 116 252 2345, Fax: +44 116 252 3782

Geo: International