Abstract:

In this communication we present the first analysis corresponding to an integration of different technologies in digital cartography. They are applied in an Archaeology degree from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain) with a structure inside the process of convergence to the European Higher Education Area. Our didactic methodology is based on active learning where students have to represent the suitable information to obtain the final goal.
In the last 40 years cartography has suffered important changes due to technological advances in computer science, appearing new methods of geographic data acquisition and graphic design that has allowed speeding up the creation, use and publication of maps. As a consequence of such transformation, there is an increasing use of digital cartography in many scientific disciplines apart from geography, as biology, environmental sciences, social sciences or archaeology, among others. Therefore, all these processes have changed the traditional cartography based on the traditional one directional map information, to an individualization of maps creation, more focused on individual users and needs. This situation requires that disciplines with less spatial knowledge than geographical careers improve their “spatial skills” because map creation and transformation according their objectives (decision-making process) involve more than map reading only, the most common method in past cartography. Consequently, this situation involves an adaption of spatial thinking from higher education as well as possible, in order to avoid misrepresentations.
For these reasons, digital cartography becomes an ideal case to apply active learning because activity is methodically included into the design of the course. In this sense, digital cartography allows applying proceedings akin to collect data from field work and to analyze mapping phenomena using computer software. Concretely, we integrate three different technologies: web-based learning, free cartographic software and field work tools characteristics of archaeological degree, which are the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the total station. Thanks to the applied methodology, all the students acquire the capacity to interpret maps and the knowledge necessary for the realization of digital cartography as well. At the end, the autonomy of the student is reinforced by the capacity to create cartography individuality with free software without any additional cost. The results reinforce this fact because 85% of the students have passed the subject, obtaining some very useful competences for their professional future.

Keywords:

Digital cartography, higher education area, archaeology.