Trayectos en el mapa: Artes visuales como representación del conocimiento

Abstract

The widespread popularization of the term cartography in recent times can probably be seen as a consequence of the urgency for exploring new ways to represent the knowledge. Well beyond the usual idea of a map as a mere representation of a territory, we use now the word "cartography" to invoke a wide variety of ways to make connections visible-not only connections between places but also between concepts or ideas. In this paper, we will summarize a research developed in an educational context, in wich map (in the widest field of significance of this word), becomes the tool for a group of students in order to reflect about their own learning process. Map becomes an artistic medium for both teacher and students to give shape to shared knowledge. We will ground this experience in two main arguments. On the one hand, we will examine the current interest for visual and artistic methods in educative research, including some recent developments of ethnographic research and participatory action-research. On the other hand, we will summarize some examples of the links between visual arts and cartography, examples that had an inspirational influence in the research reported.