Users of geodata, digital geomedia and Geographic Information Systems form a highly diverse audience. Their roles range from technical experts to general users, and they come from different disciplines such as natural and social sciences, planning as well as education. Due to their different roles, backgrounds and skills, users have different needs that require the provision of user-centered geospatial products that also include supporting materials. The literature emphasizes that for successful use of geo-products, the target group and its sub-target groups must be identified and their requirements considered. This is particularly important for those for whom the use of geodata, digital geomedia or GIS is not a central aspect of their work, as is the case, for example, in non-formal education for sustainable development (ESD). But do subgroups of ESD-practitioners differ in their digital geomedia use, and how can their needs be considered? These questions are being investigated within the ESDplus project, which aims to promote the use of digital geomedia in ESD. An online survey among ESD-practitioners in German-speaking countries and several workshops with ESD-practitioners allowed to characterize different subgroups based on their digital geomedia use in ESD and to develop subgroup-centered recommendations for tailored information provision and training to support the integration of the use of digital geomedia in ESD. The findings obtained are also important for the development of other subgroup-centered geo-products relevant to GIS-laypeople like geoportals.
Digital Earth vision – in short ‚DEvision’1 – with the motto of ‘Digitally Connecting Real and Virtual Environments’ is an initiative aiming at the integration of geospatial online and blended learning modules into curricula of multiple disciplines at partner institutions and beyond. It implements digital transformation concepts in societies, economies, and environments by involving students and in-service professionals beyond the traditional ‘geospatial’ subjects, addressing planning and conservation, logistics and ecology, tourism and agriculture. All these and more fields are inherently spatially organized, therefore benefit from an explicit spatial approach, and require inclusion of geospatial awareness and methods in their curricula. By connecting and enhancing the real world with virtual representations, the vision of Digital Earth implements a transdisciplinary geospatial perspective. This will benefit the development of economies everywhere, particularly emerging ones. This vision of a Digital Earth is aligned with general digital transformation in society and business, with implementation of sustainable development goals, and a live-long learning paradigm. Overall, DEvision follows several clearly defined principles: (i) blended learning based on online resources, (ii) instructor-led pathways aligned with students’ majors, (iii) a modern approach to GIS entirely based on cloud platforms, and (iv) orienting students towards a continuous professional development principle based on online communities.
Education for sustainable development (ESD) requires new and updated approaches, including the use of information and communication technologies like digital geomedia. However, despite their numerous possibilities, digital geomedia appear to be under-utilized in ESD, meaning that their full potential remains unused. This leads to unresolved questions: How are digital geomedia currently used in ESD, and what form do they take? What are the obstacles and possibilities for integrating digital geomedia in ESD? How can we address them? To answer these questions, the ESDplus project conducted an online questionnaire among organizations that carry out ESD (protected areas, museums, nature conservation associations and zoological gardens). The results show that one-third of the respondents have never used digital geomedia, and only 4% apply digital geomedia in their ESD activities. Even though almost two-thirds see great potential in the use of digital geomedia, a majority still prefer to use traditional analogue methods in ESD. The following issues are key to improving the use of digital geomedia: providing an overview of digital geomedia; their integration in ESD activities, and the provision of suitable training materials.
In the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), privacy and surveillance have emerged as critical ethical concerns, reflecting the growing tension between technological advancements and the protection of individual rights. This paper presents a review of the literature that investigates the ethical challenges associated with these issues, tracing their evolution and present significance. Drawing from scholarly discourse, we analyse how the capabilities of GIS have raised complex ethical dilemmas related to unauthorized data access, the construction of digital identities, and the increasing risk of pervasive surveillance. Our review reveals that while GIS offers considerable societal benefits, its unchecked potential for surveillance and infringement of privacy demands stronger ethical standards, regulatory frameworks and public awareness. We highlight the need for GIS professionals to adopt proactive measures, such as enhanced data security and informed consent protocols, to mitigate these risks. Furthermore, the study calls for ongoing scholarly inquiry into the ethical stewardship of GIS, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with the protection of individual freedoms. This research contributes to the broader dialogue on GIS ethics, advocating for responsible practices that prioritize privacy and limit the scope of surveillance, ultimately safeguarding personal autonomy in the digital age.
Soon after the introduction of Geoinformation (systems) in the 1990s and the first use of geomedia in schools which followed, a host of studies evaluated the adoption of the new technologies at school level. These studies were largely exploratory and descriptive and, even 30 years after its first introduction, came to the conclusion that the use of geomedia in schools was still not widespread. However, an organizational perspective was missing from these studies, as well as analysis of the factors influencing the diffusion of GIS and geomedia. This paper examines the organizational approaches taken in recent research on digitalization in primary schools and the corresponding teacher training, and looks at questions of diffusion. We attempt to identify the more recent results that seem to make sense of the earlier ones. Two questions in particular are examined in this paper: To what extent can geomedia be understood as innovation? To what extent are geomedia embedded in schools? We also discuss opportunities for the systematic embedding of geomedia in school education.
