Available @ http://gisetc.com/product/gps_field_studies/ for $14.99 as PDF or $29.99 as hard copy.
The book contains 10 chapters in three logical sections. Section I (Getting Started) begins with the pedagogy of field studies as inquiry-based teaching and learning and nicely expands the idea of fieldwork to other disciplines that we may not immediately associate with fieldwork such as history, mathematics, or art. Section II (Tools) includes 7 chapters explaining the tools of 21st century field studies. The emphasis here is on hardware and software for location-based field data collection by students (see Page 53 for a simple example).
- Chapter 5 introduces the EdGIS Student Data Mapper, an easy and (almost) foolproof way to get data from the student’s smartphones into spreadsheets, Google Earth, or web-mapping services such as ArcGIS Online.
- Chapter 6 introduces the EdGIS GeoForms tool, an effective way to turn Google Forms into location-enabled data collection and mapping forms for smartphones or tablets.
This is a very useful book (and a quick read) for anyone interested in adding more location-based ‘tech’ into their outdoor labs, field trips, or student field data collection campaigns. Smartphones are rapidly becoming ubiquitous among students and teachers so why not! In a recent survey, over 90 percent of Westfield State students reported owning an internet-enabled smartphone, a percentage that matches national surveys. The book is a bit GIS-and Esri-heavy at times, for example Chapters 7, 9, and 10 are only useful if you are comfortable using ArcGIS Desktop and you teach at an institution with an ArcGIS Online for Organization account (Westfield State does!). The price is right, so why not get a copy for yourself and/or your department library?
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