The use of gis technology in cultural heritage teaching a case study of the interactive platform for cultural field trips

Abstract

At present, utilizing new technologies for teaching has become prevalent and there is a growing trend to implement the technologies for inventing new teaching tools. Among all, GIS is a revolutionary tool for teaching cultural heritage because it can play and visualize geographical and spatial information via sounds, videos and photos. Indeed, a number of cultural heritage data are collected by different parties in the world and it is an important task to convert these data into teaching materials by implementing new technologies such as GIS. This is the way to transmit new knowledge to students. Meanwhile, preserving information about cultural heritage by 3D imaging and showcasing it has become prevalent. To fulfill all these needs, the authors built a new platform called Invention of Interactive Platform for Cultural Field Trip (IPFiF) for converting selected data of cultural heritage preservation in Hong Kong into teaching materials. This platform enables teachers to easily link the teaching of local historical relics with field trips to enhance discovery or active learning, interdisciplinary learning and teaching innovation. The design innovation of IPFiT is in its utilization of its multi-media functions and in establishing a sustainable platform that can continuously increase and optimize information. This chapter aims to introduce this newly created platform and explain how it can be integrated with other pedagogical tools for enhancing students’ learning effectiveness and enjoyment.