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The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship

The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship. Laxmi Ramasubramanian, PhD, AICP President University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS). A little bit about me & my work. Citizenship; Digital Citizenship.

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The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship

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  1. The University’s Role in Fostering Spatial Citizenship Laxmi Ramasubramanian, PhD, AICP President University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)

  2. A little bit about me & my work

  3. Citizenship; Digital Citizenship Citizenship is a status that is bestowed upon those who are full members of a community - T. H. Marshall, 1949 Digital citizenship is the ability to participate in society online Digital citizens: • Use technology frequently; • Use technology for political information to fulfill their civic obligations; • Use technology at work for economic gain - Karen Mossberger, Caroline Tolbert, and Ramona McNeal, 2008

  4. What is Spatial Citizenship?

  5. Who is a Spatial Citizen? • An individual who has the motivation, knowledge, skills, and competencies to access and reason with geo-information in order to participate in democratic processes • Adapted from I. Gryl, T. Jekel, and K. Donert, 2010 methodological competency communication competency active participation spatial data and its representations situational assessment competency technical competency • Adapted from T. Jekel, and I.Gryl, 2012

  6. http://votescope.us VoteSCOPE NYC Nathan Storey

  7. https://sandystories.crowdmap.com/ SANDY STORIES Lauren Masseria

  8. http://google.org/crisismap/2012-sandy-nyc VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES Alyssa Pichardo

  9. November 1: Map created by Alyssa November 2: 50,000 people had viewed the map November 2: Google.org contacted Alyssa November 3: Alyssa’s map added to the Google Superstorm Sandy NYC Crisis Map. 

  10. Benefits of Spatial Citizenship • Problem solving & problem posing • Integrating qualitative and quantitative info • Promotes civic involvement • Geo-spatial solutions that are: • Purpose-built; • Place-based solutions; • Developed in real time or in near real time; • Collaboratively; • At relatively low cost; • Respectful of local knowledge and experience; • Useful to different types of publics/ end users

  11. Universities and GIS Adoption • Amazing richness, where GIS can be found on an individual university campus; • Many new academic departments; • More service roles for GIS on campuses • GIS is being extensively used to • support community mapping activities (38%), • planning and emergency preparedness (36%), and • data and services hosting (26%).

  12. Moving Forward • Challenges like sustainability, climate change, human rights and so on… • Cannot focus solely on analysis, we have to use our knowledge and skills to synthesize, integrate, and communicate... • University educators must take some responsibility for creating spatially aware citizens

  13. Realizing the Promise • Information sharing across disciplinary boundaries • Illustrating different dimensions of change • Visualizing/Integrating multiple opinions and perspectives • Provides alternative ways of exploring data • Facilitating real time planning and decision-making • Improving participatory processes • Building community memory

  14. Thanks! Questions? Contact: laxmi@hunter.cuny.edu

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