Storymaps in the Classroom

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08-29-2016 01:40 PM
PaulaLazrus
New Contributor III
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I've been using storymaps in my classrooms for a number of years now.  Non of these classes are strictly GIS or even computer based classes. They range from into history survey's to freshman seminars and science for non science majors.  In each case I have very little time to spend on 'technology' but Storymaps are quite easy to use and with a little as one class session most of my university level students are then able to use the technology to create storymaps that explore our curriculum in different ways.  For instance:  The FYS students have done final projects where they select one of the primary documents we have utilized during the semester (things pertaining to NYC history like Philip Hone's Diary, Jacob Riis' How the Other Half Lives or Dickens' Notes on America. They find locations mentioned in the text on maps, map journeys of characters or similar, and include appropriate quotes and images to create a storymap.  In the history class, I have used storymaps in place of timelines to have students map contemporary events or inventions with images and commentary, or like the FYS to investigate and map characters in readings or to explore texts.  It's a great way for them to get a sense of the spatial relationships of events and ideas.

About the Author
I'm an archaeologist with an interest in settlement and landuse. I am currently a member of the Bova Marina Archaeological Project, president of the local NY Society of the Archaeological Institute of America and an Associate Professor in the Institute for Core Studies at St John's University in NYC. I teach some classes that use GIS, and run a tree mapping project as an Academic Service Learning project as part of a freshman seminar. T3G 2014 participant. Here is a story map that highlights some of my archaeological research: http://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=ad80047346424fd8be793dd6f987cea7&webmap=5dc2c7785631420dab355a0b17d0e052 Academic Service Learning project at St John's Univeristy https://sju.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=e93c6f15a2b24969bf5ab32fa20d2955 AIA NYsociety http://aia-nysociety.org Bova Marina Archaeological Project http://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/bova-marina/
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