Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
education institutes can provide them the opportunity. But it was also important to
teach the theoretical background of the digital printing process which has consider-
able differences comparing the traditional offset printing. One of the most impor-
tant differences was that color digital printing used a CMYK color model instead of
using spot colors which was very common in the traditional map printing. This
difference is also influenced the composition of map symbols (colors, line widths,
etc.) and the early years of the digital era we have to take into account the weakness
of the technology. It was very important
to make students understood these
characteristics of the printing process.
As the price of computer printers decreased these devices become part of the home
computer systems together with scanners. The internet era has made the access of
information (especially the IT information) much easier than any previous time. Such
kind of knowledge was partly thought in secondary schools, but it is still necessary to
teach the theoretical and technical background for the cartographers. It is similar to
the offset printing era: some cartographers become the expert of the technology and
they were responsible for that part of the process. Nowadays we also have only few
cartographer experts who really understand the process and the rest (as any other
user) is just press the print button and trust in the software and hardware.
It is also necessary to mention the new output device: the screen. More and more
maps are planned (or at least seen) on the screen of computers, mobile phones, GPS
devices, personal digital assistants. To visualize the digital information efficiently
students have to be familiar the characteristics of these new “devices”, so such kind
of subjects should be included in the curriculum.
3.8 Summary
As cartography become science and independent cartography courses and curricu-
lum were implemented in the twentieth century the content of these studies has
been developed continuously. After the International Cartographic Association was
formed they formed commissions to encourage the cooperation of the scientists and
higher education experts of the member countries. The ICA Commission on Map
Production was established in 1964 and played an important role in developing,
standardizing the modern reproduction techniques of cartography. The teaching of
map production techniques in the higher education was also influenced by the
commission, especially in less developed countries, but as the computer printers
become widely used this effect started to decrease. Cartography curriculums tried to
follow the development of these output devices and even today when digital maps
are the most important products of cartography we have to teach the visualization
on computer screens. But the development is continuous: 3D screens and other
devices are coming, making new challenges also for cartographers.
Acknowledgement The European Union and the European Social Fund have provided financial
support to the project under the grant agreement no. T
´
MOP 4.2.1./B-09/KMR-2010-0003.
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