week 5 [09/29 – 10/05]

this week, i worked on the ArcGIS training. i found it to be interesting as StoryMaps is also hosted by Esri and may be the primary platform i use for my project. when looking at the data provided, i noticed that the data on the first line of the file contains all the headers related […]
march professional development

this month, i chose to work on StoryMap JS. since my project for this year uses ArcGIS StoryMaps, i wanted to try an alternative and see what I could make. i appreciated the fact that the UI was pretty straightforward to use and that adding points on the map were easy, but i did come […]
week 10 [11/10-11/16]

this week’s training was in audacity. I have had some experience using the program so it was not that difficult to get back to using it. as such, I think that helping someone learn how to use the program will be pretty straightforward. I found it interesting that you could download the app through muse […]
week 9 [11/03-11/09]

This week, we worked on documentation. I made documentation for the first StoryMap I made for my project – the management timeline. I think good documentation clearly outlines information users will need to access content and create new content – if there is any. I also think good documentation needs images, or some sort of […]
week 8 [10/27 – 11/02]

this week’s training was on WeVideo. i found the tool pretty simple and straightforward to use and will have no problem helping my peers learn how to use it. i did find myself getting frustrated with a few of the site’s quirks like the seeker jumping to where it was previously in the clip you […]
week 4 [09/22 – 09/28]

this week, I worked on the omeka training. it wasn’t really difficult to learn how to use, but i would say that adding an item and filling in its description became tedious (especially because there is no way to save descriptions if you navigate backwards, which happened more times than i would like to admit). […]
week 3 [09/15 – 09/21]

i visited CERA this week to gain a better understanding of what happens at CERA and the different projects and prescribed burns that occur. it was a very educational experience and i would like to thank Jake and Emily for agreeing to take me out there. i have also started learning how to use storymaps […]
week 2 [09/08 – 09/14]

this week’s training focused on accessibility. the perspectives videos helped me understand the importance of features i hadn’t really considered when building websites like keyboard navigation or screen reader use. the readings also introduced me to a few features that are necessary in order to make a website accessible. an example of a technical feature […]

project work

week 5 [09/29 – 10/05]

this week, i worked on the ArcGIS training. i found it to be interesting as StoryMaps is also hosted by Esri and may be the primary platform i use for my project.

when looking at the data provided, i noticed that the data on the first line of the file contains all the headers related to the data in the table – which made it easier to figure out which data related to which field in the dataset. from my cursory analysis, i thought that the dataset would be able to help answer questions about the population in Grinnell in 1900 and what has changed in the town as time has passed i wasn’t sure that i knew what variables i would like to map as i had yet to discover the platform at the time.

i felt that basemaps such as imagery and imagery hybrid would make it pretty difficult to view the data being plotted on the maps as they either obscure it, or make it difficult to focus on as there is so much going on on the map. at the same time, i thought that different basemaps would convey different bits of information to the viewer and would serve different purposes.

i discovered that as you change the drawing style and customize the appearance of a visualization, it can become more complex and either more or less readable. additionally, depending on the visualization, having large elements could obscure smaller ones on the map and make it very cluttered.

i think that pop-up elements enhance the map viewing experience they give the viewer more information about what it is they are looking at without making the map difficult to understand. i think they are used most effectively in maps with small visual elements (or to declutter maps in general).

the choices you make as a map creator like color, contrast, base maps and fonts impacts the visual and accessibility experience of your map. when making digital maps it is also important to consider screen readers as well when building maps in order to ensure as many people can access the maps.

project wise, i had a meeting with my project leads and discussed what my next steps should be. i will be working on renaming photos in the project folder and starting to build the website out.

⋆˙⟡ steph

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