FITS Faculty Project: List all projects
Ancient Chinese Dynasties
In many of my culture and literature classes, one challenge is to make students understand that China has changed as a political entity over the centuries. While the concept is simple, students do not always grasp the political and economical implications that came with (or resulted in) the changing borders.

x

Project Description

x GIS technology is being utilized to help students learn about the territorial changes throughout China’s history. Using the layering and visualization techniques available in a GIS, regional boundaries from different dynasties, as well as China’s modern border, can be displayed and viewed simultaneously.

Impact of the Project

This helps students visualize the territorial relationships between dynasties and ultimately aids them in understanding the corresponding political and economical changes.

Production Details

Using the ESRI® Data & Maps Media Kit that ships with ArcGIS™, we built the basic GIS infrastructure which included the modern China border, the borders of neighboring countries, and China lakes and rivers. Images depicting the boundaries of the following Chinese dynasties were downloaded from the Internet and spatially referenced in ArcGIS™. Finally, the individual dynasty boundaries were digitized and saved as shapefiles using the spatially referenced dynasty images. With the dynasty boundaries in a GIS format, we were able to use the layer, symbology, display, and other features in ArcGIS™ and ArcScene™ to create various views and models of the dynasty data.

Sherry Mou

Team Members Include:

Beth Wilkerson and Sherry Mou




Contact Information:


Sherry Mou
Associate Professor of Modern Languages
smou@depauw.edu

Beth Wilkerson
FITS GIS Specialist
bwilkerson@depauw.edu
FITS small logoFaculty Instructional Technology Support - FITS is a program that assists faculty members in enhancing their teaching and their students learning through the latest technology. FITS is concerned with the pedagogical applications of technology, rather then with explicit technical training. FITS DML logoDigital Media Lab - Located in the basement of the Roy O. West Library, the dml works closely with FITS, the Web Team, Information Services and other campus technology organizations to develop consistent and easy to use services for all faculty, students and staff. DML Music Instructional Technology Center - DePauw's School of Music includes the Music Instructional Technology Center, an advanced facility that includes a computer lab, audio production facility and mobile audio recording services. MITC GIS LogoGeographic Information Systems - The DePauw GIS Center coordinates GIS activities across campus so that information and knowledge can be shared and exchanged for the benefit of the entire DePauw community. It also collaborates with Greencastle and Putnam County communities to establish a relationship that benefits both DePauw and the surrounding region. GIS Student Technology Support - (formally START) provides students with opportunities to enhance their liberal arts education with information technology knowledge and skills. Workshops, Web-based training, courses and one-on-one training are available to all students. SITS students and staff members work with faculty members to provide specific course related technology training through in-class workshops. Student Technology Support
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