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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Subject: | Re: [gislist] FW: kids and mapping |
| Date: |
01/12/2007 03:30:00 PM |
| From: |
Chip Westbrook |
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Reminds me of when Al Gore rotated a picture of the earth until the North
pole was at the top saying that some one had hung it upside down.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Seekins" <Barbara.Seekins@noaa.gov>
To: "Landon Blake" <lblake@ksninc.com>
Cc: <gislist@lists.geocomm.com>
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 11:06 AM
Subject: Re: [gislist] FW: kids and mapping
> It is interesting how our environment can affect our personal navigation
> techniques and associations with cardinality.
> I grew up on the east coast and for the first 20 years of my life
> associated "east" with the ocean. The "west" had an association of land,
> open dry plains, & mountains. Later I moved to the west coast and still
> find that subconsciously I have that old association stuck in my head
> even though it's no longer valid in my present location. Now, I live in
> Oregon where within the state the reality is that much of the eastern
> section is dry and mountainous while the western section is rainy & wet
> much of the year and the ocean is to the west.
> Now I find I rely on large visual landmarks (like Mt. Hood or the
> coastal range) for guiding my local navigation. In the east, there
> weren't many landmarks like these that dominate the landscape.
>
> It makes me wonder if one is living in Australia, would one be more
> inclined to put a south arrow on a map?
>
> Barb
>
> Landon Blake wrote:
>> Here is another interesting thought on kids, maps, and "personal
>> navigation".
>>
>> I grew up in the Northern Rockies.
>>
>> When I was in my early twenties I moved to California's Central Valley.
>> For the first time in my life I found trouble navigating my
>> surroundings. I was able to identify the cause of the problem a few days
>> later:
>>
>> There was no mountain peaks or mountain ranges that I could use to get
>> my bearings. I hadn't realized it growing up, but I was determining my
>> approximate location and the cardinal directions by identifying nearby
>> peaks and the orientation of those mountain ridges.
>>
>> Most days in the Central Valley smog, dust, or other air pollutions
>> blocks the view of the far away mountain ranges, and on bad days you
>> can't even see prominent Mount Diablo.
>> I find I've come to be a lot more dependent on road networks for
>> "personal navigation" in my new home.
>>
>> It is interesting how our background can affect our own navigation
>> techniques. I probably would've never noticed by dependence on mountain
>> peaks for navigation if I wouldn't have moved.
>>
>> Another funny thing: When I drew maps as a kid I always started by
>> drawing mountain ranges and began to add the other features after. If I
>> had grown up next to the ocean maybe I would have started by drawing the
>> coast. If I had grown up in a city maybe I would have started by drawing
>> freeways.
>>
>> Thanks for the interesting conversation.
>>
>> The Sunburned Surveyor
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: gislist-bounces@lists.geocomm.com
>> [mailto:gislist-bounces@lists.geocomm.com] On Behalf Of Trish Long
>> Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 7:59 AM
>> To: gislist@lists.geocomm.com
>> Subject: [gislist] kids and mapping
>>
>> Nonie - Thanks for sharing that children's map link.
>>
>> I enjoy talking to kids about their concepts of their neighborhood,
>> where
>> they live, and its relationship to the world. I haven't yet figured out
>> at
>> what age children generally come to an understanding of place. But for
>> some
>> kids it seems quite early and I am often impressed with their navigation
>> skills. I suppose somebody is researching this very thing.
>>
>> As someone who does not have a very good sense of direction, I am
>> fascinated
>> by the ways people find their way around. Many people find it funny that
>> I
>> make maps for a living. The way I think about it, my poor sense of
>> direction
>> means I really need to rely on maps. I am always amazed to meet people
>> who
>> are uncomfortable using maps for navigation at all.
>>
>> Just my contribution for the day.
>>
>> Trish
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: gislist-bounces@lists.geocomm.com
>> [mailto:gislist-bounces@lists.geocomm.com] On Behalf Of Nonie Castro
>> Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 10:15 AM
>> To: gislist@lists.geocomm.com
>> Subject: Re: [gislist] topic change
>>
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