JP, I've been long interested in forming a Mapping-Cyberspace "eLearning
SIG" (Special Interest Group).  It appears that you share my belief in the
benefits of providing learning maps to allow self-directed exploration of
web-based resources.  We are proceeding with our plans to use a GIS
(Geographical Information System) mapserver platform to allow navigation
through information landscapes.
While we do not have a commercial service available today, I would like to
collaborate with you (and others)  who may share this eLearning /
cyberspace mapping vision.
Ron Wild
[log in to unmask]
Canada

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Discussing ways of mapping and visualising Internet infrastructure
>andWeb space [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jens
>Grunau
>Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 2:00 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [MAPPING-CYBERSPACE] maps and e-learning
>
>
>greetings from germany-
>
>i am not sure if this might be a bit off-topic, but i will try anyway:
>
>we are an institute working on using an e-learning environment for assisting
>us
>in our classes and courses. i am envisioning an environment, that would
>allow
>students to navigate the content - which is located in a database or in
>xml-files - using a graphical interface like a map. This map/vrml/image/...
>should be able to display the logical structure of the content - the the way
>the
>single information units are woven together
>i have found some tools to do this, but none are capable of dealing with
>databases (and i do not want to manually update the map, everytime some
>information units are updated or added) or the products are sold at very
>commercial prices....
>
>i have come across the graph.class java applet from sun microsystems. one
>example of how it is implemented is found at
>http://www.brock.uni-wuppertal.de/Vademecum/index.html (link "anfangen").
>but
>a.) as far as i can tell, the applet has more potential (mouse over...) and
>b.)
>there is no database connection.
>
>do you know of any other location or institution, that has used this applet
>or
>something simular to display and navigate related topics in an e-learning
>environment?
>
>best regards, jp grunau
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>--
>jens-peter grunau, dipl.-ing.
>assistant professor
>institute for planning fundamentals
>school of architecture and urban planning
>university of stuttgart
>tel +49.(0)711.121.3316