Learning and geolocation

Remember the old Michelin maps and the roadside markers that helped you find your way around? Well, they still exist and are still appreciated, but the ability to geolocate associated with maps brings new possibilities.

Thot Cursus had already identified ways to geolocate, but what could be the uses of geolocation in social networks? What does geolocation bring to training in practice?

Decisions based on enriched information

Even before talking about geolocation, it's possible to observe that maps are in themselves a good vector for focusing learners' attention, thanks to the play of colors, aesthetics and the illustrated character that directly conveys meaning. Case studies, group work and various training exercises already make use of cards and their evocative power. Maps inspire the imagination.

Geographic computer graphics, dynamic and evolving statistics, absolute and relative distances in a network, linguistic demarcation lines ( isoglossal lines), maps of currents, seabeds or seismic faults are already exciting exercises. In the past, maps could be overlaid with layers of information, while online maps can be overlaid with "electronic layers" and enriched with ever more layers of information (cf. Dassault Système's offer).

Les Clionautes, an online group specializing in the teaching of history and geography using new technologies, already has a wealth of online maps, and proposes didactic uses for these materials.

Practical organization

One of the primary functions of a map is to help you find your way around. Geolocation can be used to organize a trip, estimate travel times and routes, or identify car-sharing solutions close to a training center or school. Googlemap is a powerful tool for geolocating members of a network, or for connecting and locating at the last minute in hyper-connected mode.

There are also possibilities for joining up on the move thanks to GPS navigators, and for reporting incidents on the road with WAZE. This community navigation saves time, as it immediately indicates any obstacles on the road.

Geolocation can also be used to organize meet-ups or find out about seminars and conferences taking place in your area. This can be particularly motivating when an application on Facebook, for example, tells you what your friends are up to and which training courses or meetings they're taking part in. Why not join them, since they're so close?

Animate a network

Geolocation makes it possible to gather and disperse quickly. Maps showing the presence of participants in a group or social network, such as Zeemaps, make it easy to see where members are, and whether it's possible to see each other easily. Organizing physical meetings is made easier, because while e-learning is a time-saving solution, meeting physically increases one's stock of emotions and strengthens attachment to a common learning project.

The Facebook connection map tells us a great deal about humanity: by transforming connections into points of light, we can concretely detect which countries have the infrastructure and access. Telephone operators are even able to trace people's behavior, movements and preferences by concatenating connection information between telephones and relay accesses in given geographical areas.

3D maps based on telephone call transmission-reception frequencies show human flows. This can be useful, for example, to ensure the security of a railway station, but it could also be useful in the future to bring skill providers and skill seekers closer together.

Enriching edutainment practices

The educational uses of geopositioning are currently being explored: measuring angles, estimating distances, locating a place with Google Street View, or using augmented reality. Geolocation is used in edutainment, to structure learning walks. Moving from point to point, meeting players, visiting places and discovering specific events is facilitated by geolocation. The "treasure hunt" dimension and learning to orientate are two levers that can be mobilized.

As part of a participatory science approach, it's also possible to collect individually scattered data with a cell phone (e.g. birdwatching, star movement) and analyze it back in the training room, with the enrichment of classmates or distant observers.

Create simulations with imaginary maps

Maps and geolocation can also be used in imaginary worlds. Simcity, the world-building game, comes to mind.

There are many applications yet to be imagined, and the intersection of geomatics and educational issues is only just beginning.

Illustration: HypnoArt - Pixabay

Sources :

ViaMichelin - https://www.viamichelin.fr/

Localiser, localisateur, localisation - Denys Lamontagne - Thot Cursus http://cursus.edu/article/25702/localiser-localisateur-localisation

Simcity - http://www.simcity.com/fr_FR

Waze - https://www.waze.com/fr/

Map of social networks - Thomas Coëffé - Blogue du modérteur
http://www.blogdumoderateur.com/carte-reseaux-sociaux-2017/

Geoposition in education - Denys Lamontagne - Thot cursus http://cursus.edu/dossiers-articles/articles/24589

The future of virtual reality: Welcome to the Matrix - Constance Riquelme - Medium
https://medium.com/france/le-futur-de-la-r%C3%A9alit%C3%A9-virtuelle-bienvenu-dans-la-matrice-8d995599bdce