Abstract

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an openly-licensed geospatial database created and edited by millions of volunteers worldwide. This database is used in various humanitarian projects, such as mapping during disaster relief operations or malaria elimination campaigns. In some parts of the world, for example certain areas in Mozambique, no official cartographic data is available and hence OSM can play a crucial role. A mapathon (literally “map marathon”) is a collaborative effect that is an effective method of collecting map data in unmapped areas. Through the YouthMappers global initiative (http://www.youthmappers.org), students are actively engaging in OSM-based collaborative mapping efforts internationally. We will briefly discuss the process followed by three YouthMappers chapters; Politecnico di Milano (Italy), Texas Tech University (United States of America), and University of Pretoria (South Africa), and lessons learned. In Milano, students’ mapathons are organized monthly and they are focused either on field-mapping (e.g. to improve the OSM map of the university) or remote mapping on humanitarian tasks; learning sessions on OSM editing tools are also held periodically. In Texas, students organize mapathons several times per year, and they can take a dedicated service-learning course for credit where they work on teams with other students around the world to map the same areas and research the humanitarian or development issue affecting the region. In Pretoria, monthly mapathons are held and each mapathon focusses on a different area. Extra credits are offered to encourage participation. From our experiences, it became evident that even though OSM tools are user-friendly, students do need some training, and a short training video as part of the introduction presentation was developed. Additionally, understanding the purpose for a mapathon in an area, motivates and encourage active participation and ensures that quality data is captured. Internationally students participate and learn from other YouthMappers chapters through regular organized web conferences. In conclusion, incorporating mapathons into the curriculum encourages students to contribute needed data required for humanitarian projects. Simultaneously, students get practical experience in data capturing and awareness is raised of humanitarian challenges in other parts of the world. 

Abstract

YouthMappers is a global network of student chapters actively engaged in collaborative mapping efforts, such as OpenStreetMap mapathons. Many questions have been raised about the impact of mapathons on open map data and on the participating mappers. For example, how can the social gathering and event format encourage productivity and quality, while also contributing to community building? Because YouthMappers chapters regularly host mapathons, there are frequent opportunities to investigate the impact of mapathons. In this paper, three universities involved in the YouthMappers network, located in Europe, North America and Africa, describe how mapathons are conducted at their respective universities. Incorporating mapathons into the curriculum encourages students to contribute much-needed open geospatial data for humanitarian projects. At the same time, students get practical experience in data capturing with open source tools and awareness is raised of humanitarian challenges in other parts of the world, thus nurturing socially engaged citizens for the future. The experiences at the three universities are diverse and richly contextual to the specific character of the campus and its students. These differences underscore the challenge of a common means to formally assess the impact of such events in general. Based on this exploratory research, three themes for assessing the impact of mapathons are proposed: the volume and quality of open geographic data produced during mapathons; the social and personal growth of the students attending the mapathons; and the changes in university programs and curricula introduced as a result of the mapathons.