EVS-Islands

School is about to resume.  I have already attended a couple of meetings and have a few more to attend and then the kids are back.  This is always the best part of the academic year - all the student's have A's and they are imbued with a positive attitude.  So what has this to do with islands?

My island shoreline mapping continues.  I am busy digitizing shorelines on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean, Rodrigues Island and the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean, Isla Carmen in the Sea of Cortez, Tuamotus in the Pacific Ocean, to name a few.  I am also busy figuring out the best combination of images and maps to present with an island post.  I like the current combination using an image at either 1:400,000 or 1:200,000 and zoom in until the island is displayed completely on screen, usually 1:100,000 or 1:50,000.  Finally, take a 1:50,000 or 1:25,000 tour of the island.  If my map consists of shorelines only, display only the full-screen size.  However, if the map contains layers of additional information, zoom in to share some of that information.

This school year I will train a cadre of mappers.  I will begin with 20 to 30 students and we will study mapping in an after-school program.  The mapping program will consists of 8 45-minute sessions one day a week.  The students will learn aspects of mapping the a middle school student normally is not privy to.  At the end of those 8 sessions, I will have identified a group of mappers.  This group will work on island projects.  Initially, I will closely supervise each student's projects.  Eventually, they will work independently on their island projects.  When they complete a project, I will QC it.  Upon approval, the completed island project will be posted on EVS-Islands with the student's efforts credited.  Wish me luck!

Posted by Mr Minton on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 8/29/2006 07:47:00 AM | Permalink