Amos Hayes

A “Living” Atlas for Geospatial Storytelling: The Cybercartographic Atlas of Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge of the Great Lakes Region

This article presents and discusses the cultural and technological contexts of the development of the Cybercartographic Atlas of Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge of the Great Lakes Region in Ontario. The atlas was developed to enhance the capability to recover the systemic nature of traditional Indigenous knowledge by electronically interrelating different forms of expressive culture (language, oral traditions, items of material and visual culture, historical documentation). To reach this goal, this atlas includes a “living” geospatial database that serves as an artefact repository and enables communities to contribute geographically relevant knowledge and to develop their own interactive, multimedia online geospatial stories through modules or sections. Two of these modules are discussed here: a treaties module focusing on the survey phase of the Lake Huron treaty process, and a culture module geared toward engaging Aboriginal artists, community members, and high school students in contributing to t...

An Open Source Development Framework in Support of Cartographic Integration

Developments in Internet mapping have been dynamic in terms of emerging tools, services, databases and participants. New products developed by the private sector and open source projects are providing new means for constructing and disseminating maps. However, there is a need for research and development to support the creation of cohesive information products that synthesize information, such as Web-based atlases. Existing products tend to focus on processing and representation of primary information resources which are not highly integrated or ‘mediated’.

Creating an Online Cybercartographic Atlas of Inuit Sea Ice Knowledge and Use

A team of community and university researchers, Inuit experts, Inuit organizations, and software developers are developing a Cybercartographic Atlas of Inuit Sea Ice Knowledge and Use. In keeping with a cybercartographic approach, the Atlas combines maps with text and multimedia representations including images, sound, video, and visualizations. Ultimately, members of the communities involved in the Inuit Sea Ice Use and Occupancy Project are interested in evaluating the utility of such approaches for their educational potential as classroom tools, as well as to ensure more dynamic forms of knowledge documentation that can be easily updated and accessed over time. At the user interface level, the Atlas presents documented Inuit knowledge in new and innovative ways. The ability to support innovative representations is underpinned by a flexible data model that is populated with knowledge documented through a participatory mapping process. The Atlas presents a variety of topics including “Our Partner Communities,” “Our Contributors,” and Inuit knowledge of “Ice Conditions” and “Uses.” Future iterations of the Atlas will see a restructured and greatly expanded table of contents and potentially the addition of user-contributed content functionality.

The Kitikmeot Place Name Atlas

Abstract During its long-term project to preserve and promote the traditional Inuktitut place names of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, the Kitikmeot Heritage Society (KHS) has developed a methodology for collecting place-related oral traditions that reflects the organizations commitment to interpreting place-name meanings through the voices of knowledge holders. In collaboration with the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre of Carleton University, the KHS has been able to develop an interactive, multimedia cartographic product that allows for the transmission of Inuit traditional knowledge through the voices of Inuit knowledge holders themselves. In the Kitikmeot Place Name Atlas, we see the beginnings of an Inuit adaptation of the technology of cartography as an authentic vehicle for the preservation and transmission of place-related traditional knowledge.

COMPUTER GAMES AS HOMEWORK

We are interested in exploring how entertainment in games can be combined with educational goals to make a compelling experience. In this paper we present our design study for the development of a mod game, Antarctic NWN. We first present the background for the game, objectives, and then discuss the gameplay of Antarctic NWN. We then explore issues that influence the design of a gripping game. One important issue is the relation between reality, simulation and game word. Then we focus on enhancing emotional involvement. Emotion is especially relevant to role-play game as it draws players into the story, and supports aesthetic understanding. We also look more specifically at the role of humour in this context. Humour enhances learning as well as providing a more pleasurable experience. In our quest to understand how games can both delight and instruct, we review the environment in which our game might be played, within the classroom or as family entertainment and describe different scenarios of use.

The creation of the Inuit siku (sea ice) atlas

The sea ice continues to be an important part of life in Inuit communities, and local Elders and hunters wanted to have their detailed knowledge of the sea ice documented to help share with Inuit youth. Developing the Inuit siku (sea ice) Atlas was seen as one important way of sharing this local expertise more broadly, with youth in schools across Nunavut, with scientists interested in the northern marine environment, and with the general public. Through long-term working relationships, and funding from the International Polar Year Inuit Sea Ice Use and Occupancy Project, Elders and hunters in Cape Dorset, Igloolik, and Pangnirtung, Nunavut, worked with researchers to develop the siku Atlas to reflect their knowledge and uses of the sea ice. In this chapter, we provide some background on the evolution of the project and rationale for the Atlas development. We then highlight the key components of the siku Atlas, as well as technical innovations that emerged through efforts to address community interests. Finally, we share some lessons learned in the process of Atlas creation, including the necessary emphasis on relationality, the need for ongoing community consultations and verification, the incredible time commitments involved, the amount of time dedicated to Atlas conceptualization, the importance of having accessible technical expertise, and efforts to ensure that the Atlas becomes a living resource.