#3-Google Earth CoLab

Assignment # 3: Google Earth: Cross Border Collaboration [pdf]

Collaboration between CIA/SFSU and DIVA/ECU

Instructors: Paula Levine (plevine@sfsu.edu) and Carol Gigliotti (gigliott@ecuad.ca)

Fall, 2011

Project Presentations: Nov. 2 (Vancouver)/ Nov. 3 (San Francisco)

Groups (Vancouver names will be added Wed. Oct.19 evening)

Schedule
Week of Oct. 16	First meetings of groups to brainstorm and plan
Tuesday Oct 24	Groups post their idea and production schedule to their respective blogs
Week of Oct 24-Oct. 31	Groups work on projects
Week of Nov 1	Google Earth projects completed

Introduction

Google Earth is a map, a virtual representation of the globe and geo information originally developed by Keyhole and purchased by Google in 2004. The program uses satellite and aerial photos, images produced on the ground and data from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map the world.

(see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth).

New cartographic tools like Google Earth along with wireless and network systems are changing our relationships to local and global. Geo-spatial distances seem to collapse. The world seems smaller with distant people and events within arm's reach. Our spatial perspectives are changing as the result of new "eye in the sky" points of views thanks tools like Google Earth. We now have visual access to the world as searchable map that ranges from the global to the granular, with omnipotent views from the sky as well as from the point of view of the body, on the ground.

What is local no longer depends on geographic proximity. As Jeremy Rifken wrote, “…[The] planet itself has become everyone’s backyard.”

This assignment uses spatial connections made possible thanks to these tools.

Assignment

Your assignment is to create a project that bridges Vancouver and San Francisco, physically and virtually, working in collaboration with another artist from the place where you are not. You will be working collaboration with art students from Vancouver (Emily Carr University of Art & Design) and San Francisco (San Francisco State University).

Your project should involve your two locations: San Francisco and Vancouver, using the physical space or spaces of the cities and the virtual space of Google Earth. You can use Google Earth part of your project but you must use GE as the tool by which to create the project documentation and present the project to the class. KIS (keep it simple)

Here's how it will work:

• You will be part of a group of 4-5 people from both classes.

• Your first task will be to contact each other and arrange the time and the means by which to communicate (Skype, email, phone, etc). (Vancouver will be responsible for initially contacting San Francisco).

• Your first meeting should be twofold:

… focus on collaborative brainstorming – throwing out ideas for the project. Blog the ideas so you have a record. There may be ideas there that you can use for another project later on.
…set up a schedule further discussions to decide on the idea, schedule and tasks for production.

• You'll be using Google Earth to document your collaborative projects (video/photos/text). In class workshops, you'll be learning the tools to carry out this documentation.

• Presentations will be in each class. Since the classes meet at different times, we won't be able to have the groups present their projects together.

Class Studio/Lab Topics:

Google Earth history and background; working with the GE interface; GE navigation tools; marking locations; working with photos/video/sound; making tours; differences between GE Pro and GE; exporting kmz/kml files/sharing kmz/kml files.

Guidelines

• Keep to the schedules and meet the deadline for project production, completion and presentation. <KIS>

Because of the logistics and size of the classes, there's little flexibility so we all need to keep to schedule.

• Get in touch immediately with the instructors when any problems arise.

Get in touch asap so that we can work through any snags and problems to get you back on track.

Project ideas:

We encourage each group to come up with their own thematic idea for the project, however we are offering these as possibilities. Feel free to use as is, tweak within your groups or come up with versions of your own:

1. A monument that exists in both cities. (Could only exist in Google Earth with signage in the physical locations of the cities)

2. Collaborative intervention taking place in both cities.

3. A cross-border drawing.

4. Cross border narrative (exploring local histories, myths, family stories).

5. Cross border gossip (American views of Canadians, Canadian views of American)

6. Geographical changes (eliminating the 49th parallel…)

7. Transposing ground (moving parts of Vancouver to SF and vice versa)

8. Parallel place (finding a common corner and making a portrait of each over time)

Google Earth tutorials:

Goggle Earth offers many tutorials on its environment, though they are sometimes hard to find. The following are tutorials you will find most helpful for this project. You are of course welcome to go further into learning more about what Google earth can do.

1. http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_annotate.html

This single tutorial includes everything you will need to get started including;

· Add placemarks

· Add paths

· Add polygons

· Organize your places with folders

· Embed images in your balloons

· Embed YouTube videos in your balloons

· Save your project and share with others

2. http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_earthoverlays.html

This single tutorial includes how to add an image overlay and a photo.

Add an Image Overlay

Add a Photo (A “Photo overlay” is the same as “Add a Photo”)

Definitions of photo variables:

http://earth.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=22370&topic=22371&answer=148126

Note:

- Image Overlay is used to place maps in Google Earth. The Image Overlay places the map parallel to the ground (like a rug). This is often used to create comparisons between a place as it is now and as it was. See: Rumsey Historical Maps (http://www.davidrumsey.com/) and take a look at the Quicklink on the right side allowing you to view maps in Google Earth.

- Add Photo allows users to embed images in Google Earth. The image can be placed perpendicular to the ground on varying angles and at various heights relative to the ground.

Note: There are two other ways to embed photos: Panoramio http://www.panoramio.com/ (there is a lag time between uploading and posting in GE) and Picassa http://picasa.google.com/mac/. In this workshop, we’ll be focusing on tools within GE but these other options are also very good and easy ways to include images.

4. http://www.google.com/earth/learn/beginner.html - placemarks-and-tours

This tutorial allows you to understand how to build a tour around your placemarks. Be sure to read the 3 Learn More options under the video.

5. http://www.google.com/earth/learn/advanced.html

This tutorial show you how to record tours and also, import kml and kmz files into GE.

6. http://earth.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide_toc.cs

General User Guide ranging from basic to more advanced.