Open Data Concept

Open data refers to data that is freely available to use, modify, and distribute, without the need for a license or other restrictions. This approach to data sharing can help break down barriers to accessing information, and promote the development of new tools and insights based on the data.

In the context of high school education, open data can be a valuable resource for students to develop their data literacy skills, learn about current events and issues, and engage in projects that are relevant to their local communities. Open data can also help students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze and interpret data to make informed decisions.

Open data can come from a variety of sources, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and citizen scientists. In the context of mapping and geospatial analysis, open data can be particularly useful for creating maps and visualizing spatial patterns.

One type of open data that is particularly useful in mapping is voluntary geographic information (VGI). VGI is geographic information that is collected and shared by individuals, rather than by professional surveyors or mapping agencies. VGI can include data such as GPS tracks, photos, and text descriptions, and it can be used to create detailed, up-to-date maps of specific locations. More about VGI in Chapter II.

Using open data and VGI in high school education can help to make learning more engaging and relevant to students' lives. They can learn how to create maps that reflect real-world situations and problems, such as climate change, environmental degradation, or urbanization, and also develop important skills in data analysis, data visualization, and communication.

In addition, the use of open data and VGI can help to foster a culture of openness and collaboration among students, encouraging them to contribute to shared databases and to engage with broader communities of practitioners. This can help to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy skills, and can also help to prepare students for future careers in fields such as data science, environmental management, and urban planning.

There are many sources of open data and VGI that can be used in high school education. Here is a list the most popular of them:

• OpenStreetMap is a global community-driven mapping project that provides free and editable maps of the world. The platform allows users to contribute data on streets, buildings, landmarks, and more, making it a valuable resource for learning about geography and mapping.

• Natural Earth Data is a public domain map dataset that provides vector and raster maps at various scales and levels of detail.

• World Bank Open Data provides access to a wealth of data on development, including data on education, health, poverty, and environment. These data can be used in classroom activities to help students understand global issues and how they can be addressed.

• The European Union Open Data Portal provides access to a wide range of data from the European Union and its member states, including economic and social indicators, environmental data, and statistics on agriculture, transport, and energy.

• Copernicus Open Access Hub is a European Union initiative that provides free and open access to a range of environmental data, including data on land, oceans, atmosphere, climate, and emergency management. This data can be used in classroom activities to teach students about environmental science, climate change, and natural disasters.

• NASA Earth Observations provides access to a range of satellite data on the Earth's atmosphere, land surface, and oceans. These data can be used in classroom activities to help students understand topics such as climate change, natural disasters, and environmental monitoring.

• UNICEF Data provides access to a range of data related to children and young people, including data on education, health, nutrition, and child protection. These data can be used in classroom activities to help students understand the challenges facing young people around the world.

Open data provides access to a wealth of information that can be used to create interactive and engaging educational materials. The concept of open data has also facilitated the rise of VGI, which allows for the collection of data by volunteers to create more detailed and accurate maps. By combining open data with open mapping, educators and students have a powerful set of tools at their disposal to explore complex geospatial concepts and engage in meaningful projects that address real-world problems. Let's take a look more in detail on the open mapping.