Ca Rtogrnpll Ic Perspectives 31
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Number 24, Spring 1'l96 ca rtogrnpll ic perspectives 31 Atlas . .., exploring and sometimes Canada were and the action taken Topograpfica in Madrid, Spain even restructuring statistical data in response to them, but not what from August 30 - September 1, sources, exemplified modern constituted the outcome of these 1995. The seminar was sponsored science as a "search for a more attempts at resolution. by various !CA commissions and rational ordering" of geographical The seven contributions of working groups: the Commission phenomena. The Historical Atlas . Editing Early and Historical Atlases on Multimedia, Commission on ., in contrast, was more demanding work together well and build a Education and Training, Commis in terms of direction, objectives, cohesive history in themselves. sion on Map Use, and Working and addressing a wide breath of Points raised by the authors both Group on Temporal Issues in GIS. audience. This contrast suggests logically support what is known The main thrust of the seminar the conditions behind the scarcity about atlases, yet challenges our was the teaching of cartographic of historical atlases in strongly present history of the genre as a animation techniques. Like many empiricist England (as was noted whole. Editi11g Early and Historical open invitation seminars, authors by Goffart). Dean's conclusion Atlases is an excellent contribu interpreted this central theme in that the statistically driven eco tion-highly readable and well their own unique manner and as a nomic atlas maintained a direct written-and very welcome in the result, the proceedings is a collec relationship to and enriched the general history of atlases. It fills a tion of papers and ideas covering understanding of social data, but valuable and very lacking need for the broad area of dynamic cartog that the design and juxtaposition information to further our under raphy. of thematic maps can further our standing of this bibliographic The book is divided into seven understanding of phenomena only genre, enhancing our appreciation parts: lntrod11ction, Basics of Ani within primarily spatial terms of atlases without destroying the mated Cartography, Use Aspects and recalls Jomard's dilemma of beauty a nd mystery of these Eval11atio11, Applications, Present exploring scientific patterns works. Sit11ation, Future, and a List of through maps. Participm1ts. The introduction In the sixth chapter of Editing discusses the historical events Early and Historical Atlases, R. Cole leading up to the seminar, the Harris, editor of Historical Atlas of groups involved in its sponsor Canada Vo/11111e 1, shares his ship, and how the different thoughts about the atlas as an BOOK REVIEW contributions were categorized. interpretation of Canadian iden The most exciting aspect of the tity. Despite the clear editorial Proceedings of the Seminar on introduction is the announcement principles and the management of Teaching Animated Cartography that the material in the book is facts, finances, and an editorial Ferjan Ormeling, Barend Kobben available on the World Wide Web team and network, Canada & Rufino Perez Gomez, editors. at http:/ / nvkserver.frw.ruu.nl/ emerges as the concept that Enschede, The ;\letherlands: !CA I madridiproc.html (Unfortu shaped the historical atlas. The International Cartographic Asso nately, at this writing, the web site ,1tlas is changed by and changes ciation I Association has not been completed). the dialogue of this editorial Cartographique Internationale at The section on the Basics of concept. ITC. 1996. 113 pages. maps, Ani111ated Cartography has five Historically we interpret from diagrams, illustrations, screen papers concerned with many the evidence transitions from captures, and a li!>l of participants. different forms of digital cartogra boundaries and nationalism, to $10.00, paper (no ISBN). phy. The first paper (by William social I spatial analysis. The last Cartwright) discusses in detail the chapter, written by Deryk Rt'1.•iewed by Rl'x Ca111111ack issues of computer equipment and Holdsworth, sho>vs us this distinc Department of Political Science staff needed to complete a multi tion is an artificial one and is only and Geograplty media title. The next paper (by more complex. Other dialectical Old Dominion University Michael Peterson) focuses on differences are also unmasked. dynamic mapping over the World The authority of a single author Wide Web. The paper covers the can be established for economic The Proceedings of tlte Se111i11ar 011 basic concept of the Web and plots reasons, not solely intellectual, and Teaclti11g A11i111ated Cartography is a its growth history. The article also coexisted with an editori al process bound collection of papers and provides numerous Web sites shaped by the client. Holdsworth abstracts by the participants at an where basic and advanced infor explains what the political issues ICA seminar held at Escue la mation about internet resources surrounding the Historical Atlas of Universitaria de Ingeniera Tecnica and animated mapping can be located. The last three papers in 32 cartographic perspecfi7.1es '.':umber 2-t. Spring J<J% this section depart from the animated application designed for the development of a graphical previous two by focusing on the educating the public on issues user interface that is cognizant of theoretical concepts of such as: Cultural Resource Man the current thinking in geographic hypermedia, instruction, and the agement (paper by Alexandra visualization. integration with Geographic Koussoulakou), I Iistory of Cartog In the context of teaching Information Systems (GIS). raphy (paper by Auxiliadora animated cartography, two papers In the next section, three Ramos Ruiz & Victor Gonzalez del in the volume provide specific separate papers, by Derek Thomp Castillo Dacal) and Global Change pedagogue for educators. son, Ferjan Ormeling, and Menno (paper by Leonard Gaydos). All Ormeling does so by suggesting J an Kraak and Arjen Klomp, look three of the papers are brief, with four primary topics to be discussed at different theoretical aspects of the latter two being abstracts for when teaching cartographic dynamic mapping. Thompson's demonstrations at the seminar. animation: theory, types, design paper examines the "fusion of The former is also brief except for and production and analysis of hypermedia and geographic the 32 screen captures of the title. use. In this approach he connects information systems technologies A paper by Catherine Mey, Lauren numerous theoretical works in a in the particular domain of spatial Anderson, Janet Murray, Christo manner that is understandable and reasoning" (page 15). Thompson's pher Steere, and Judy Olson, helpful for students and educators. paper works through the use of the follows the efforts of a group of By interweaving the works of toolbox metaphor for both GIS and students in Olson's GEO 823 individuals such as Bertin (1967), hypermedia. Ormeling's paper fits Automation in Cartography course DiBiase, et al. (1992), Darling best under the title of the book and at Michigan State University to (1992), Hayward (1984), the seminar. This paper outlines a develop a prototype interactive Koussoulakou (1990), Kraak strong pedagogue by which Atlas for the State of Michigan. (1994), MacEachren (1994) and teachers can teach students about The authors discuss in detail the Peterson (1995), Ormeling pro animated mapping. Kraak 'sand methodology and drawbacks to vides guidelines for instruction in Klomp's paper places cartographic the project. The last paper (by cartographic animation. The animations into categories that Thomas W. Holder) looks at the second paper that deals with lead to the development of dy process for including choropleth instruction is by Catherine Mey, et namic maps within a GIS context. map animation sequences into al. This paper outlines procedures The next section in the book is interactive atlases. for developing a multimedia atlas titled Use Aspects and Evaluation The final two sections in the within a graduate class. The paper and contains five papers. The book are Present Situation and provides a good course to steer papers by Henry W. Castner and Future. The former has three instructors around many pitfalls Jeffrey S. Torguson share the papers while the latter has only by providing three specific goals common thread of education and one. The Present Situation section for creating a multimedia atlas: 1) "geographic thinking." Castner's reports about the development of sharpen the planning, execution, paper lays out two examples for cartographic animation in En skills, and knowledge to complete developing geographic thinking gland, Russia and Japan. Daniel the task, 2) take advantage of the while Torguson evaluates the Dorling discusses the development strengths of individuals invnlved quality of interaction between map of a video tape recording to depict in the production, 3) produce a users and an electronic atlas. the human geography of Britain prototype to demonstrate the Following in line with the evalua and the fusion of maps, statistics, capabilities of the product. By tion theme, a paper by Barend and graphics to form an effective pairing the results in this paper Kobben and Mustafa Yaman sets means of communicating human with the system and staff guide out to evaluate the effectiveness of geography. The other two papers lines in Cartwight's paper, an direct types of visual variables in in this section by Oleg A. Evteev, instructor will have a leg up on the animated mapping. The final two Vladimir S. Tikunov, and task of teaching the production of papers look at the use of animated Leniniana F. Yanvareva and one multimedia titles. maps for weather forecasting by Kei Kanazawa and Masumi Along with education, several (James R. Carter) and virtual Watanabe look at the development other themes can be identified. environments ( Olev Koop). of animated cartography in Russia One of these is current technology. Applications is the title of the and Japan. Both papers are a As mentioned above, Cartwright next section. The five papers in synopsis of the work done pres provides a summary of the hard this section report on develop ently in both countries.