In concert with The American Geographical Society's (AGS) mission to continuously support our teacher fellows and their students in open mapping endeavors, AGS is partnering with Teach OpenStreetMap (TeachOSM) to create a unique mapping challenge for AGS Geography Teacher Fellows and their students. This 2018 AGS-TeachOSM Great County Mapping Challenge is a structured contest that integrates open mapping as a teaching technique, while also helping teachers connect APHG content with geospatial practice. In doing so, we hope to make the best, most up-to-date, most accurate map of students' school counties using cutting-edge open source mapping technologies.
Through intimate coaching sessions and support, AGS and TeachOSM are helping Teacher Fellows guide teams of student mappers. Students are competing to make a complete inventory of all buildings in their county, starting with all existing public facilities, then significant commercial/industrial buildings, other buildings of note. Students add this information directly to OpenStreetMap (OSM), conceptualizing the significance of open data collection and creation, knowing they have contributed to a greater cause.
Contestants are competing in teams for cash prizes. Awards will be based on both quantity and quality of contributions. Teams have multiple chances to win cash prizes – with a $500 prize for the first place team, four $250 prizes for runner-ups, and a number of other cash prizes your team might find themselves surprised to be winning along the way!
WHAT DO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS GAIN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?
In short, open mapping is an unparalleled tool for making spatial concepts tangible. It connects the practice of mapping directly to geographic content presented in the APHG curriculum. This contest is designed to emphasize this connection by rewarding student mappers and teachers in several ways. Including:
● To add open mapping to your repertoire of geographic teaching techniques
● To experience geography and spatial awareness first hand
● To make tangible key spatial concepts in the APHG curriculum
● Develop geographic literacy starting in your own backyard
● Experience the rewards of creating valuable public maps
● Showcase your school’s academic prowess in geography
● Give back to your community as a citizen scientist
● GeoBadges awarded to teachers and students for demonstrated mapping achievements
The American Geographical Society (AGS) and Teach OpenStreetMap (TeachOSM) have trained over 150 educators and instructors in open mapping techniques since 2016. Together, our mutual goal has been to help educators bring the power of mapping to their classrooms by helping them apply open mapping techniques to their curriculum. If teachers find this to be a valuable exercise for their students, AGS and TeachOSM will implement additional rounds focusing on mapping other geographical and geospatial concepts such as roads and transportation networks.
With the help of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap and Missing Maps, AGS and TeachOSM have put together a leaderboard so that AGS Geography Teacher Fellows and their student mappers can track their progress.