Sack, C. M., & Roth, R. E. (2017). Design and evaluation of an Open Web Platform cartography lab curriculum. Journal of Geography Higher Education, 41(1), 1–23.
This paper describes the design and evaluation of a novel curriculum for the laboratory component of a web mapping course. The authors are from the Department of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. Through experimentation, they recognized the need to shift attention from what to teach, i.e., Open Web Platform mapping tools (Leaflet and D3), to how to teach, i.e., key stumbling blocks for comprehension. A spiral curriculum (revisiting key concepts throughout the curriculum to reinforce them until students achieve mastery) is integrated with scaffolding (breaking the task down into highly structured and simplified steps followed by progressively less structure and assistance). Success of the new curriculum was evaluated (n=24) through triangulation between quantitative and qualitative data: an instructor observation log, student feedback compositions, and an exit survey. Results revealed significant growth in student abilities and confidence. This research provides a methodology for designing and evaluating curriculum around highly technical skills that are increasingly in demand in research, education, and industry careers and continuously in need of adaptation to ongoing technology trends.