Tag Archives: Athens

UNED Launches MOOC: Virtual Field Trip at XI International Symposium on Social Science Didactics in the Ibero-American Context

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XI International Symposium on Social Science Didactics in the Ibero-American Context

On June 5th and 6th, 2024, Zaragoza (Spain) hosted the XI International Symposium on Social Science Didactics in the Ibero-American Context, themed “New Challenges in Social Science Didactics.” With over 200 attendees participating both in person and online, the event was a resounding success!

One of the highlights was the plenary session led by Maria Luisa de Lázaro from UNED, Spain. She presented the innovative project “Virtual Field Trip in the Context of Global Change – a Blended Learning Approach for Higher Education.” This project aims to enhance environmental education within higher education institutions by supporting university teachers in adopting digital and innovative teaching methods. By using virtual field trips and participatory tools, the project strives to raise awareness about global change and encourage the integration of sustainability topics into educational practices.

Image 1. Presented the VGlobal program at the  XI International Symposium on Social Science Didactics in the Ibero-American Context. Source: UNED

The initiative not only consolidates the project’s outcomes but also empowers educators to develop effective pedagogical strategies that address global change and sustainability, fostering a new generation of environmentally conscious students.

 

Water points in our city. Discover the presence of the water element in the urban fabric of Athens, through a Virtual Field Trip.

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The metropolitan area of Athens is an extensive and densely populated area that brings together most of the country’s inhabitants and the main economic and administrative activities. The capital’s urban landscape has been defined for decades by a building pattern dominated by buildings and hard surfaces (mainly asphalt). Open and green spaces and even more so water surfaces (excluding the sea) cover a very small percentage of the city.

Yet water points in our city exist!

There are places we can visit and discover the water element either visible or hidden. These places with symbolic, historical, mythological or even physical presence influence and give context to the urban environment and the relationship of citizens with it. Streams and their estuaries, natural wetlands (they exist even within the city center!), lakes and other natural or artificial elements with a constant or seasonal flow of water exist, often even within the city’s densely populated neighborhoods.

Image 1. The National Garden. Sketch created for the Atlas of Mediterranean Liquidity. Source: commonspace

As part of the call for the Atlas of Mediterranean Liquidity, commonspace in collaboration with the Goethe Institute participated in a collective research around the identification of water points in Athens with symbolic, natural, cultural, environmental or historical value for everyday life in the city. In the context of the project, sketches were created, an extensive research on the biodiversity, history and collective memory was carried out by experts. Finally, all the points were placed on an interactive map open to the public. In addition, walks with interested members of the public around water routes in the city were organized as part of the project.

This Virtual Fieldtrip is based on the Mediterranean Liquidity Atlas and provides an educational aspect including a brief historical overview of the water element in the city and guidelines for researchers that want to detect and map water spots in other cities. It encourages students, educators or everyone interested in studying the relationship between urban environment and water element to walk around, sketch and map scenes of water in their daily life. The VFT gives guidelines on how to search and map the water spots in a neighborhood/district/city.

The Storymap is developed in the following parts:

  1. Water in Athens: A brief historical review
  2. Categories of the liquid element in the Athenian urban context
  3. Map tours regarding the different typologies of water in the city:
  • Places in the city with artificial water features
  • Places in the city with natural water features
  • Places in the city with historical water features
  1. Concluding thoughts and online form that can be used by students or researchers for water scenes and spots mapping.

Check the Virtual Field Trip here:  https://arcg.is/0bC1a4

Image 2. Well of the Hadrian Aqueduct in El Alamein Street, Halandri. Source: commonspace

Image 3. The fountain of Chaseki, at the Agricultural University. Source: commonspace

Launch of the VGlobal Program at the National Technical University of Athens

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Exciting Launch at the National Technical University of Athens!

On March 21, 2024, we proudly presented the VGlobal program at the  National Technical University of Athens, specifically at the School of Rural and Surveying Engineering – Geoinformatics Engineers. This significant event was graced by esteemed professors from the Department of Geography & Spatial Analysis.

The launch event was followed by an engaging workshop where students from the Postgraduate program actively participated. Utilizing the MOOC and the comprehensive toolkit provided by VGlobal, these bright minds embarked on preliminary virtual fieldwork, exploring innovative approaches in geoinformatics and spatial analysis.

Image 1. presented the VGlobal program at the  National Technical University of Athens, specifically at the School of Rural and Surveying Engineering – Geoinformatics Engineers. Source: School of Rural and Surveying Engineering – Geoinformatics Engineers

We were thrilled to see the enthusiasm and dedication of over 40 attendees who contributed to making this event a success. The collaboration and insights shared during this session mark a promising start for the VGlobal program.

Stay tuned for more updates and join us as we continue to advance the frontiers of geoinformatics and spatial analysis! 🚀📊

Photo by David Tip on Unsplash

Athens’ Real Virtual field trip

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As part of the V-global project, we realized a real fieldtip in Athens in May 2022.

The data collected allowed us to collaboratively create 5 virtual terrains on global change. These virtual fields are based on a common methodology.

Methodology to create VFT

  1. Identify keywords and choose a problem
  2. Identify 5 relevant datas
  3. Geolocate them
  4. Build the scenario of the virtual field trip
  5. Elaboration of the virtual field trip

The virtual fields were then created using different tools: Storymap and Genially. The renderings are varied and present the different ways of exploring the space virtually.

 

Virtual Field Trip created

The Université Paris Cité’s field trip is based on a sensitive approach to the field. It is enhanced by artistic representations of the space.

The virtual field trip of Universität Hamburg is participative and includes tools like limesurvey or filling the blanck.

The virtual field trip developed by Eurogéo is based on a more conceptual (with a heuristic map) and visual approach with visual panoramas of the area.

Commonspace has developed a virtual field trip  on the scenes of everyday life with both an interpretation of spatial practices and an illustrated road trip.

Finally, NTUA’s virtual field trip  proposes a historical approach of Athens put in perspective with a spatial reading of the city.

Photo credits : David Tip on Unsplash