GI_Forum 2009 keynote speakers

Suchi Gopal - Keynote

TOWARDS GEOSOCIAL NETWORKING: INTEGRATING SOCIAL NETWORKS AND LBS

Social networking sites like Friendster, MySpace and Facebook enable people to connect to each other based on interests, affinity and relationships. Social networking has enabled people to be connected 24/7 and exchange information and content ranging from social to political issues. The integration of location-based services (LBS) and social networking has resulted in geosocial networking that now enables people to share their content and location, thereby adding physical context to social networks. There are social, legal, technical and other implications in the use of this technology. At a social level, it can lead to democratization of geodata and expansion of universal access to open geodata via a range of simple yet powerful tools and APIs. The question of rights to privacy in a geocoded world has legal implications. In terms of technology, two types of geosocial networking services can be differentiated – services that update one’s location and those that use the location information to offer customized location specific content. Most common location questions such as where am I, where are my friends right now, who’s near me, what’s near me? and what’s happening nearby? can be updated frequently. Applications such as MyLoki Facebook and Nokia’s Plazes provide seamless way for people to keep their network of friends up to date on their current location. Once the users have authorized the service, Yahoo’s Fire Eagle collects their location data, then personalizes their experience in a myriad of ways. Geospatial networking is one of the hottest areas of application in 2009. The keynote examines the evolution and technology of geosocial networking, its implications,  as well as its place in creating a more socially relevant and friendly GIS.

Claire Jarvis - Keynote

SPATIAL LITERACY, GISCIENCE AND LEARNING 

The focus of this paper lies in the intersections between the notion of spatial literacy and the sub-discipline of Geographical Information Science (GIScience) and Digital Geographies more generally.  Notions of spatial literacy are pertinent in this domain from several perspectives, for example in regard to the rise in digital neogeographies and the wider application of GI approaches in multiple academic disciplines as part of a perceived ‚spatial turn‘. Spatial literacy also matters in order to achieve effective teaching and lear-ning in GIScience where a high proportion of students attracted to the area at Masters level have followed a wide range of first degree studies. However, when one looks to understand the parameters of the concept of spatial literacy (and its associated terms) there is considerable ambiguity, despite a substantial body of research on the subject. Firstly therefore, this paper  will discuss a spatial literacy continuum based on a synthesis of research from a range of disciplines. Secondly, the paper will look at aspects of spatial literacy in relation to the Body of Knowledge in GIScience and exemplify teaching interventions designed either to compensate for and/or to augment spatial literacy in the GIScience learner and beyond.