#539 Size Matters

In geography, size matters.  On maps, large always wins over small.  We're human.  We're wired to quickly spot patterns and make visual comparisons.  See Tufte, Edward.

Picture a map of your own state.  How does it compare in size to the states next door, the largest states, the smallest, or Texas?

I recently joined with map-minded folks to build GeoTron 5000 to put the power of comparative geography and spatial literacy in hand.  Choose two places and the GeoTron 5000 robot spins up two maps to show exactly how those places compare.

So what's going on behind the scenes in GeoTron 5000 to enable these mappy comparisons?

GeoTron 5000 houses an international map library based primarily on Natural Earth, a fantastic public domain vector dataset.  The Natural Earth maps were pre-processed using Quantum GIS geographic information systems software to present consistent comparisons of land area from California to Kyrgyzstan.  International country lists and official land areas were harvested from the United Nations Statistics Division via their World Statistics Pocketbook and Demographic Yearbook.  Domestic datasets are from the US Census.

GeoTron 5000 is free at the Apple App Store and includes all 50 US States and the District of Columbia.  Additional geographies outside the USA are available for comparison via in-app purchase.  The app requires no cell service, no internet connection, and no international data plan when traveling.

Travel is one of the best tests of our spatial literacy.  When away from familiar territory we can use the size of places we know well to better understand places we've never visited.  Travel guide books assume a high degree of spatial literacy when offering comparisons like "Germany is about half the size of Texas".  But spatial thinking is best served when we choose familiar frames of reference.  For example, to understand the relative size of China's Great Wall, HowBigReally.com displays the massive wall scaled and centered over any location, here Charlottesville, Virginia:

Visualizing comparative size and shape requires skill in spatial thinking. Packing a suitcase, parking a car, finding a restaurant, finding your car when leaving the restaurant...all involve visualizing spatial relationships based on size, distance, shape, and changing points of reference.  Artsy infographics overlay the world on Africa and popular television explores Mercator's map distortions.  We're all thinking spatially every day.

"Spatial literacy is the competent and confident use of maps, mapping, and spatial thinking to address ideas, situations, and problems within daily life, society, and the world around us." - Diana Stuart Sinton, Geographer and Spatial Thinker

Universities host spatial studies centers, organize spatial studies conferences, and offer graduate level training in spatial literacy.  And spatial literacy is a topic of growing academic focus beyond the higher ed classroom. Kids love maps.  Using maps to illustrate comparative size promotes spatial thinking at an early age.

"Spatial thinking can be learned, and it can and should be taught at all levels in the education system." - National Research Council

Much of Edward Tufte's brilliant work on visual literacy is centered around maps.  In Envisioning Information he writes of maps:

"No other method for the display of statistical information is so powerful."

Scaled maps for geographic comparison using How Big Really or GeoTron 5000 inform spatial reasoning by answering the key question: compared to what?

Size matters.

[Cross-posted with scholarslab.org]

#400 From Switzerland to Texas

From the Alps of Switzerland, we traveled directly to the plains of Texas. And we noticed a few differences. The music was good in Switzerland - especially the yodeling, the Alpine horns, and the cow bells - but in Texas we were serenaded with country music over margaritas. The food was good in Switzerland - especially the rosti and the Simmental burgers - but in Texas we had Aunt Wanda's beautiful biscuits and homemade grape jam. The traveling was outstanding in Switzerland - especially the panoramic train, the cable car, and the funicular - but in Texas we tried the TriKing Kobra, a stand-up human-powered vehicle.

Yours in enjoying the differences,
Mary

#278 Our Texas Visit - Revisited

Kelly's right. Sometimes things just work out.

But sometimes the things that work out aren't even related to basketball. Shocking!

Sure, KU's last-second shot to send the game into overtime was pretty fun. But lots of other things worked out to make this weekend just about as fun as it gets.

Hanging out on the Riverwalk and running into friends was a highlight for me! Friends provided us with tickets, so that not only we could attend, but so could 4 members of our family. Though Mizzou and UTexas fans, our family helped us root for KU. (It may have been slightly more difficult for those Mizzou faithful, but we appreciate it just this one time.)

The weather was gorgeous - sunny and warm with plenty of Texas wildflowers. The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, lavender, and pink evening primrose made for a beautiful drive through the Texas hill country where we stopped to play in this clear creek. The food was scrumptious - Texas barbecue, Mexican food, and large margaritas each and every day.

And as if all of that wasn't enough, American Airlines canceled our return flight (along with about 3000 other flights), so we got to stay 2 extra days in Texas. Our pictures have all been uploaded - just click on the 'see all our photos' link to the right. But the best image of all may just be this video of Kelly riding Uncle Bob’s Pedal-o.

Sometimes things really just work out.
Mary

P.S. to Principal Larry, the KU alum: Sharon is telling the truth. Her brother and sister did go to the Final Four and cheered loudly for the Jayhawks.

#277 Our Texas Visit

Last year, we started working on a plan to attend the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in San Antonio with our Texas family. And through the generosity of friends, we secured the tickets. Only once in our previous seven men's Final Four visits did we have the pleasure of watching my favorite team, the Kansas Jayhawks, compete. But sometimes things just work out. On Selection Sunday, the Hawks received a number one seed. Two weeks later, we watched in stunning HD as Kansas won the Midwest Regional to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio.

On April 5 in the Alamodome, I watched from section 105, row 31, seat 20 as Kansas overcame a 9-point deficit in the last two minutes, hit a miracle shot to tie the game with 2 seconds remaining, and in overtime, win the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

Yours in appreciating how sometimes things just work out,
Kelly