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Fieldwork is an essential component in Geography education. Learning through research in Geography involves generating substantial data and data manipulation. In order to make geographical inquiry a worthwhile learning experience, researchers require a seamless system that allows data collection and analysis without being distracted by the multiple methods and equipment used. NIEmGeo is a mobile application that is developed with an aim to support integrative geographic learning, both during fieldwork and during subsequent data analysis. The system has been used successfully by more than 100 students in several undergraduate courses. The paper discusses the salient features of the application, analyses the usage of field researchers, and discusses the viability of the application as a field and post-field support system for field-based learning in Geography. Some observed limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

Hydraulic anisotropy behavior of unsaturated soil has not been fully investigated. Direct laboratory measurement and indirect determination of hydraulic anisotropy under a drying condition were carried out on statically compacted specimens having different initial conditions. Direct measurement of permeability was carried out using an unsaturated triaxial permeameter whereas indirect determination of permeability was performed through statistical estimation via a measured drying soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC). In this research, two orientations--specifically horizontal-layering (HL) and vertical-layering (VL) orientations--were prepared for a given specimen from statically compacted homogeneous sand-kaolin. The results from both direct measurement and indirect determination of hydraulic anisotropy were in good agreement. Hydraulic anisotropy under an unsaturated condition was found to be similar with that in a saturated condition. Moreover, hydraulic anisotropy was reflected in the ratio of transient time during the direct measurements of HL and VL specimens at high matric suctions. In contrast, in the indirect method, hydraulic anisotropy was reflected in the ratio of equalization time during SWCC tests at matric suctions higher than the air-entry value of the soil. Key words: unsaturated soil, hydraulic anisotropy, permeability, soil-water characteristic curve, laboratory experiment. Le comportement d'anisotropie hydraulique de sol non sature n'a pas ete pleinement examine. La mesure directe de laboratoire et la determination indirecte de l'anisotropie hydraulique sous condition de sechage ont ete effectuees sur des specimens compactes statiquement ayant differentes conditions initiales. La mesure directe de la permeabilite a ete realisee a l'aide du permeametre triaxial non sature alors que la determination indirecte de permeabilite a ete effectuee par l'intermediaire de l'estimation statistique via la mesure de la courbe de caracteristique sol-eau de sechage (SWCC). Dans cette recherche, deux orientations--plus precisement la disposition horizontale (HL) et verticale (VL)--ont ete preparees pour un specimen donne de sable-kaolin homogene compacte. Les resultats a la fois de mesures directes et de la determination indirecte de l'anisotropie hydraulique etaient en bon accord. L'anisotropie hydraulique sous condition insaturee etait similaire a celle de l'etat sature. En outre, l'anisotropie hydraulique a ete refletee dans le rapport de temps transitoire pendant la mesure directe des specimens HL et VL a des hautes succions matrices. D'autre part dans la methode indirecte, l'anisotropie hydraulique a ete refletee dans le rapport de temps de perequation au cours des essais a des succions matrices SWCC superieures a la valeur d'entree d'air du sol. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: sol non sature, anisotropie hydraulique, permeabilite, courbe caracteristique sol-eau, experience en laboratoire., Introduction Hydraulic characteristics of soil are described mainly by its permeability and its soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC). Coefficient of permeability relates flow rate to driving potential, which is primarily due [...]

Geographical inquiry involves collecting, using and making sense of the data to investigate some geographical phenomena. With the increasing number of mobile devices equipped with Internet access capabilities, there is a wide scope for using it in field inquiry where learning can take place in the form of social interactions between team members while performing a common task. The authors examine the use of MobiTOP (Mobile Tagging of Objects and People), a geospatial digital library system which allows users to contribute and share multimedia annotations via mobile devices, within a geographical field inquiry. A key feature of MobiTOP that is well suited for collaborative learning is that annotations are hierarchical, allowing annotations to be annotated by other users to an arbitrary depth. A group of student and teachers involved in an inquiry-based learning activity in geography was instructed to identify rock types and associated landforms by collaborating with each other using the MobiTOP system. A method combining several data collection methods was used. Four main findings on the affordances of the mobile phone, the need for specialized training in using the application with the mobile phone, design considerations of the application and the authentic context of learning with fieldwork are reported. A discussion on the implication of these findings and how mobile technology may be used for geographical field learning are also included in this paper. (Contains 6 figures and 3 tables.)

Fieldwork remains the mainstay in the study of geography and in the analysis of the environmental processes. However, an in-depth understanding of the environmental and geographical processes requires extensive as well as intensive fieldwork that involves time and substantial effort, both of which may pose a problem within a given curriculum time. One solution to this could be a collaborative data collection both on extensive temporal and spatial scales and subsequently sharing of this data by all for an in-depth analysis. Having a large data set from extensive areas helps in a more reliable analysis of the given problem, rather than one done with a limited data set for lack of time and scope. Results of such analysis have the potential of providing outcomes beyond mere course grades and may yield results that are useful in solving real life problems. Such an understanding was used for the development and use of an online data resource portal named G-Portal. The portal was used for uploading and later sharing of data collected from extensive, remote sites in a forest (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore). Several groups of researchers collected the data within a short time, to be subsequently shared among the groups for a very in-depth analysis of the environmental problem of trail degradation. The article analyses the fieldwork-related issues addressed while developing this portal and also describes how the portal was used by several groups of researchers and subsequently how this data were used for analysis. Responses of users regarding the usefulness of this portal in research and analysis are also examined. The portal has been found to support field inquiry through data collection, data sharing, analysing data, synthesising data and presenting results. (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

Purpose – Mobile devices used in educational settings are usually employed within a collaborative learning activity in which learning takes place in the form of social interactions between team members while performing a shared task. The authors aim to introduce MobiTOP (Mobile Tagging of Objects and People), a mobile annotation system that allows users to contribute and share geospatial multimedia annotations via mobile devices. Design/methodology/approach – Field observations and interviews were conducted. A group of trainee teachers involved in a geography field study were instructed to identify rock formations by collaborating with each other using the MobiTOP system. The trainee teachers who were in the field were guided by their lab counterparts on the tasks required to identify the rock formations. Findings – Participants were able to appreciate the fieldwork task as it augmented their classroom lessons. The system allowed them to communicate with one another in order to meet the objectives of the study. However, there were some technical difficulties in relation to the affordance of the mobile and web applications that affected the usefulness of the applications. Originality/value – This study reports the design and implementation of a mobile annotation system that was evaluated in an actual classroom setting. The results of this work have implications for both mobile applications design and mobile learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]