Paper read at the 6th International Conference on Cartography & GIS in Albena, Bulgaria | June 14, 2016
Abstract: In this paper, I discuss my experience over the past five years restructuring the cartography curriculum at the University of Wisconsin–Madison to account for sweeping shifts in conceptual framings, mapping technologies, and professional expectations. To guide the refresh, I aligned the cartography curriculum to an orthogonal pair of axes: the traditional distinction in cartography between mapmaking and map use, and an emerging distinction between representation and interaction. A single course was designed to cover each of the four pairwise antipodes of the orthogonal axes, with a fifth course positioned at the intersection of these axes to integrate influences and technologies. In the paper, I discuss the pedagogical philosophy guiding the revised curriculum, the organization of design concepts and technical skills taught in each course, and lessons learned from my experience for keeping curriculum malleable as cartography continues to evolve.
