Geography as seen from the Window: Explorations about Viewpoint-Specific Images of Geography Defined by Tools of Visualization

Abstract

Multimedia Cartography has changed artifacts for geographical exploration-from ‘frozenscapes’ (visualizations of geography that cannot be altered by the user) to ‘Malleable Visualizations’ (a computer-generated multimedia visualization with which users can interact and ‘mold’ into one that best suits their particular needs). However, it is argued, this has caused problems, as Multimedia Cartography is more complex. Does the way of ‘seeing’ influence the way of knowing? Does the application of interactive multimedia products really allow access to ‘better’ educational packages? What is the most appropriate pedagogy for using New Media technologies for geography education? How do humans learn geographic information, and how does this learning vary as a function of the medium through which it occurs (direct experience, maps, descriptions, virtual systems, etc.)? This paper reports on the initial findings from the ‘GeoExploratorium’ research programme, that investigated the construction and evaluation of a ‘different way’ of offering geographical teaching/learning elements with multimedia cartography. The ‘GeoExploratorium’ provides a new way of ‘seeing’ geographical information by supplying different viewpoints, hopefully, ensuring that the ‘voids of geographical understanding’ are filled with information gathered from other perspectives and used to assemble a more complete picture of reality.