Geospatial Visuals
Geospatial Visuals and analysis can change how we view data. It changes how we process the information presented in front of us and therefore, changes the questions we ask. For example, by seeing a visual representation of the data rather than a bunch of points we can see trendlines easier. Trendlines can indicate a lot of things and mostly bring a lot of attention to how the data changes over time. We can ask questions like, “Why does the graph change or lean a certain way,” or “How does the data produce results like this?” Geospatial maps can provide lots more data than regular maps as well. You can include sources, images, documents, videos, and much more. Basically, the opportunities are endless and it can really shift the narrative and place the importance, of an event, between people and place.
While I was creating my geospatial map, I really enjoyed how much context and customizations you can do. In Storymap, the connections between place and item flowed very smoothly, and with the Google Maps, Create your own Map feature, I could have placed hundreds of plot points if desired. I also think it just simply presents your data in a very clean and accessible way. Both tools were very easy to learn and easy to change and adjust. After just using both systems one time, I can really understand how valuable they can be to learning.
One issue with using tools like GIS is we can overestimate the importance of an event at a certain location. For example, the location may have absolutely no connection or importance to the event, but since it’s presented on a map it looks important. People can often lie using maps by pushing their own agenda. You can easily plot only points significant to your argument; for example, during class, we discussed Trump’s political campaign and how he used a geospatial visual to portray he had votes from almost the entire United States. There is also a lot of human error that can happen when creating these maps as well. For instance, if someone were to use inaccurate information that would be extremely misleading. Another potential mistake would simply be just making a confusing map. By putting too many plot points or not arranging them to transition in an understandable way, the information gets jumbled and does the opposite we want the maps to do; which is making information accessible.
Using geospatial maps can really change how we think and compare different events as well. Essentially, geospatial maps are important to learn because they lead us to better research questions and allow us to connect events via time and place.
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