Adrienne’s Project Review

Similarly to others reviewing the members of the Scottish Chapbooks I can still not find the website with their final project.  Therefore, I will review the material from Adrienne’s presentation with the chapbooks group. 

As a member of the team who chose to digitize a collection of Scottish Chapbooks for their project, Adrienne decided to focus her area of study on fairy tales present in the chapbook collection.  As the semester has come along and we have learnt more about the Scottish chapbooks, I have found them more and more interesting.  With this project becoming part of the Universities library website, it is interesting to see how our class work fits in to the bigger picture of the University.  I never imagined a project undertaken by students in class would contribute so much to an area of study unique to the University of Guelph.  I say it is unique to the university because as we learnt during the presentation, the digitization of these numerous chapbooks is a pilot project here at the University of Guelph. 

I found Adrienne’s focus on fairy tales in the chapbooks very interesting.  She explains the evolution of fairy tales on her area of the website.  An interesting note on fairy tales that I was not aware of before hand was their original purpose.  I always believed fairy tales were happy stories told to cheer up children but in reality they began as ways to promote good behaviour amongst children.  The evolution of fairy tales as stepping-stones from then to now was also explained on Adrienne’s webpage. 

One problem the group talked about a lot during their presentation, were their frustrations with Omeka as a web design program.  All members of the chapbook team wanted to be able to provide a link to the full version of their chapbooks.  However, Omeka and its strict formatting ways did not allow them to do so.  Adrienne and other group members explained the frustrations with the many limitations Omeka put on their ability to display images and text in the style they wanted.  Not being able to provide a link to the full text was seen as unfair to the site user. The group believes the full text is very important to the understanding of the information they are trying to explain on their website.  The group was again unhappy with the Omeka software that they had to use, as the inputting of metadata was a very time consuming and repetitive task that could be avoided with other software.  However, as Adrienne pointed out during the presentation, when the proper links are provided to the full text and the information on the web page is narrowed down the site will improve drastically for the users.

The group seemed to be very collaborative and each member played an equal role in the creation of the chapbook project.  They mentioned the how collaboration was a big part of their successes as they all helped each other with different aspects of the project.  Overall, I would say the chapbook project was very well done.  I am excited to see the final product and hope their presentation at the Scottish Colloquium went well!   

Final Project

After countless hours of editing, formatting and research my website is finally complete.  Hope you guys enjoy the final product!

http://brendenspringer.wix.com/rome-as-it-was 

N.B. In order to open the KMZ files in the dropbox you will need the Google Earth application which can be downloaded by clicking on the following link: Google Earth 

Changes to my Project

After trying to present my project last week, I realized I needed a better way to make my project available to others and get away from presenting the models as a whole map.  To fix this, I decided each model would be shared separately to make the process quicker and keep Google Earth running smoother..  In order to make this happen, I decided to create a website through which the models will be available.  I am using the Wix website creating program which is available online and very easy to use.

Once registered with the website, I should mention this is free to do so, a list of templates come up.  There are plenty of free templates to choose from and once one has been selected it can be edited using their editing page.  It is very simple to use as text, pictures, links, pages, and many more features are accessible by the simple click of a button.  One thing I found very useful with Wix is that there is no code necessary for creating the website.  It can all be completed with simple web making tools that come with the site. 

In order to maintain the educational aspects of my project, I will give a brief historical description on the models available for download from the site.  I have categorized all the buildings under their structure types for easy navigation.  They are sectioned as arches, temples, basilicas, mausoleums, forums and all others in a group of other Roman buildings.  Apps are also available through the Wix web-editing tool, I am using the dropbox app that was available on the site.  The dropbox allows me to share files from my computer onto the website via uploads.  I was able to create a separate page on my site for the dropbox.  On this page, the files can be downloaded and then opened into Google Earth ready to be explored.  

Project Update

My project had been coming along quite well up until this past weekend when I began to run into problems with Google Earth.  I had all the models I wanted to use in Sketch Up, but still had to convert them into files which could be opened in Google Earth.  To do so, I had to link the models to a geographic location.  The program makes it relatively easy to do so.  It has a function that opens a map through Google and allows you to select a location onto which your model can be placed.  When the location is linked, Sketch Up exports the model into Google Earth.  From there the file can be saved as a KMZ, these are files that are specific to Google Earth and can only be opened in that program.

I began to run into problems when there were too many models opened in Google Earth at the same time.  When multiple models were opened, the program slowed down drastically and became very difficult to work with.  I found that the software worked better when using it with a Windows operating system.  I also found that using a more powerful desktop computer helped the software run more smoothly, thus making the work on the project go much quicker.    

The University library computers have become my best friend over the past few days, as it is here that I have been accessing desktops to work on my project.  I now have 31 monuments and buildings converted into KMZ files and ready to be used in Google Earth! 

Project Update

Since presenting my project a couple weeks ago I have made quite a bit of progress.  As I showed the class during the presentation, I have been looking for and collecting many 3D structures from the Trimble 3D Warehouse.  These are models of old Roman buildings such as the Coliseum, Circus Maximus, the Pantheon and many structures from the Roman Forum just to name a few.  The vast amount of models available in the database is allowing my project to run very smoothly. 

I have recently been working towards placing the models in correct geographical locations and sizing them proportionately to my map.  I am becoming more and more familiar with Google Earth thanks to this project and am really enjoying learning the ins and outs of this program.  I am continuing to do research on which structures were present during the time period and am filling out my list of which buildings will be a part of my layer on Google Earth. 

My research has taken me to many maps of the Ancient City as I have been adding and subtracting the necessary buildings and trying to find good models of them in the warehouse.  An aspect I have to start thinking about is how I will make this applicable in the field of teaching.  I would like this project to be used as a teaching tool for elementary and/or high school students but need to find a way that would make it appealing to these age groups while still having pedagogical value.  I was thinking of making a scavenger hunt style game where students have to find certain buildings via clues given to them.  When they arrive at the destination another clue can be found.  This would involve me learning some new software techniques but believe it could be an achievable idea in the future.    

Steve’s Project Review

During this weeks class we began presenting our projects, sharing our ideas and goals for the semesters work.  Like some of you I am also a sports junkie and therefore found the projects presented by Steve and Vince very interesting.  I chose to review Steve’s project, which looks at mapping the progress of NHL players throughout their careers.  To accomplish this Steve will use GIS technology, a complete hockey database at hockeydb.com and hours of work! 

The mapping of NHL players’ progress is a very interesting idea in my opinion, as I believe many patterns can be found looking at the data.  I also think cutting off players before 1980 is a good idea as the data after this date is more relevant when looking at the international development of hockey.  As Steve suggested in his presentation, the NHL become a more global league during the 1980’s as many European players began to play in the league.  Therefore, looking at data from 1980 onwards can display relevant patterns in the database.  This data also provides information on where they played their hockey growing up, in leagues such as the CHL, AHL and many European leagues.  This also displays the globalization of hokey as very young players are travelling across the world to play in these leagues.  

Following Steve’s blog I have found his ideas are changing and he will begin looking in to the effects of the lockout.  I really like this idea and think it will also be a more manageable amount of data for the project.  I like this idea because during the past lockout I found the way players moved to Europe very interesting.  I believe very important patterns can be found as Steve mentions relating to money, political structure and age. 

An idea I thought of looking at goes with part of your original idea as well.  I think it would be interesting to see if players from Europe were more prone to returning during the lockout.  Many young players from North America returned to the CHL and AHL also if I’m not mistaken.  These types of patterns can also be looked at during the lockout.

I find this project very interesting and look forward to seeing the final product at the end of the year!   

Getting Deeper into My Project

Recently I have been exploring the many functions and possibilities of a couple programs for my project.  As I mentioned in my last blog, I am using Google Earth and SketchUp as the foundations to re create Ancient Rome.  They have been very useful and I hope they will make this project possible. 

SketchUp has been a great program so far as it allows you to create 3D models of buildings, people, animals, cars and pretty much anything else you can imagine.  I hope to use it in a way that allows me to create a virtual tour of Ancient Rome.  I believe a map this size can be recreated because of the sources available to me in SketchUp.  The program comes with a database of previously created structures and figures of all sorts.  I have been able to find 3D models of many of Rome’s historic landmarks such as the Coliseum, the Pantheon, Circus Maximus and a variety of other models that will help form the city.  These models are also licensed under the creative commons therefore allowing me to use them legally in my project.  They will form the bulk of the buildings in my project as I position them accordingly and fill in the gaps with structures of my own or other generic buildings found in this database.

Google Earth will be the platform on which the recreated map will be shown.  This will place the city in a geographically correct location.  I also want to use Google Earth so that the map can be viewed as if we were there walking around on ground level with the citizens of Ancient Rome.  I want to recreate the city and display it in a way that mirrors the way Google Earth captures shots of cities today.  This project will be heavily influenced by the lessons learned during the tutorial on the use of GIS in digital humanities we had with Jenny Marvin earlier this semester.  Layering the map onto Google Earth will permit me to adjust the map to the specifications I want and can allow for many different settings which can display a variety of different information. 

3D Printing and My Project

So far this semester we have had the opportunity to visit many places and get a rundown of various digital tools used in academic research at the University of Guelph. Some of these places I had not known existed despite my four years at the University.  Of all the places we have been so far, my favorite has been the Haptic Lab where the 3D printer is located.  I found the 3D printer was an amazing machine used to create very intricate models that one can physically hold after only minutes of printing.  The way the models were created using computer software and literally printed out in a three dimensional format was unbelievable.

When Dr. Ross first introduced us to the idea of a 3D printer earlier this semester, my goal was to find a way of using it in my project.  However, I no longer believe creating a physical 3D map of Ancient Rome is a very feasible project.  For one, there is not enough time to create models that could be printed to form an entire city and I have not asked but believe doing so would also be a bit too pricey for my project.  Therefore, I have moved on from the idea of a printed out map and am taking a different approach.  I would still like to continue with the idea of mapping out Ancient Rome but will keep the map in a digital/virtual format.  To do so, I will use Google Earth and SketchUp programs to re-create the Ancient city of Rome.  This map will have 3D aspects to it as Google Earth has features allowing 3D models to be displayed in the program.  Google Earth will be the platform on which I plan to build my map and SketchUp will provide building models.  I am fortunate enough to have found various models of ancient roman buildings in databases linked to SketchUp.  Here I have found many famous buildings that have already had 3D models created and are being shared under Creative Commons Licenses.  Those that are available and relevant I hope to use and in order to add detail to the map I will make generic buildings of my own.  These buildings will fill up the city between the famous structures of Rome.

The goal of my project is to take the user back in Roman times to the busy city streets, the bustling marketplaces, through the Forum, the Coliseum and many other places of the capital city.  I hope to capture the city in action the way we see our modern world today when looking on Google Earth or Maps.  There is still research to be done in order to find the limitations of this project but I believe with the right amount of work and help the project can be done with the resources available to me.

Project Ideas

The past three weeks have really had me thinking about what to do my project on.  Since we ran through the course outline during the first class I have been debating what technology to use for my final project.  I have always enjoyed working with and studying maps.  Therefore, since the mention of that being a possibility for our projects, I have been looking to follow that path.  For my final project, I had a few possible ideas that can be done separate or possibly even combined.  Mapping out an ancient city and making it interactive for scholars is what the main focus of my project will be.  I want to use technologies we have seen so far in class; therefore Google Earth or a program with similar functions may be the route I take for the project. 

During our first class we discussed using a 3D printer, which had me very intrigued, I had wanted to build a 3D map for my project but have come to realize that doing a complete 3D map of an ancient city may be a little bit overwhelming for my final project.  So as I previously mentioned using a program like Google Earth might be the solution to my map-making project.  If I use Google Earth to make an interactive map of an Ancient city I want to be able to identify all the important buildings, streets, areas of the city and provide relative information about these places and what their role was in the history of the city. 

I brought up the idea of using the 3D printer because I liked the idea of being able to physically see aspects of a building popping out of a map.  Seeing as I want the map to be interactive it should be in a digital format and not a map that has been printed out and assembled.  So once we get to find out how the 3D printer works I will be able to determine whether or not the technology will be useful for my project.  I am hoping that files to be printed out in 3D can be created and saved as 3D images which can be viewed as such on a computer and from there I can import them into a map making program.  I am hoping to be able to use the created 3D images as overlay in a manner similar to what we were shown by Jennifer Marvin during the Google Earth workshop.     

GIS and Digital Humanities

When I began looking into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) I did not know where to begin.  Therefore, I simply typed GIS into Google and a multitude of sources came up.  Many of them gave a definition to what GIS was, but not many introduced me to any interesting projects.  Because I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for either I decided to begin researching the work of Josh MacFayden and Anna Kelly Knowles.  I found the article by MacFayden very interesting as he explained how Canada has used air photos to supplement their historical research.  The example of how a causeway linked a small island in Prince Edward Island National Park to the mainland eroded is one of the many ways GIS helps historians study patterns in geographical history.  Having Canada as a leader in aerial photography drastically helped the creation of the National Air Photo Library, which is the main source of data for this project. 

            While I was performing my research on GIS I thought I had it understood quite well from our discussion in class and my further research on this project.  However, once I started reading on Anna Kelly Knowles I came across the definition which best explained GIS.  She says “GIS is any kind of software which allows you to map information if it has a location attached to it”.  This explanation really hit home for me.  When she said it is has to have a location attached to it I really found that to be important in the definition and had not looked at GIS like that before.  I found it interesting how she defines what information belongs in a GIS and what can be included in the system as well.  Once I had finished my research on MacFayden and Knowles I moved on to search for another GIS project. 

            The project I found and decided to research is called the Chinese Historical Geographic Information System.  I found this project very interesting as the aim of the project is to establish a database representing populated areas and administrative units in Chinese history from 221 BCE and 1911 CE.  I found this project very interesting as it has information for almost the whole country over a drastic period of time.  China is a massive country and with much of the country being rural areas I find it very impressive that they can have such detailed maps of these areas from over two thousand years ago.  It is a very impressive collection of data, which can be navigated through searches, data can be joined together for analysis and digital maps of various time periods are available.  A part of the project I found extremely interesting is the encouragement given for researchers to share their results with the Chinese Historical GIS.  By doing so they are expanding the database and making more information accessible to the scholarly community using this dataset.  The dataset is already fairly large as they include large map collections including the Skinner Map Collection and Russian Historical Maps of China.  I found this project very important to GIS systems as it provides a large amount of data in Chinese geographic history.