Development of a conceptual framework for the analysis and the classification of "Public Participation GIS"

Dans le contexte actuel de démocratisation des technologies et des méthodes géomatiques, les expériences du type « Public Participation GIS » - PPGIS se multiplient. Le concept de PPGIS est, par essence-même, interdisciplinaire et multiforme. Il s’apparente, d’une certaine façon, à un déclinaison spécifique des SIG, vus comme des systèmes d’information (données, matériels, logiciels, méthodes et composantes humaines), incluant la dimension de la participation publique. De fait, les PPGIS ne se limitent pas aux simples outils logiciels. L’objectif principal d’un PPGIS consiste à accentuer/supporter l'implication des citoyens dans les processus de prise de décisions territoriaux, et à améliorer l'accès aux outils, aux données ainsi qu’à l'information (Steinmann et. al. 2004). Les applications des PPGIS revêtent des formes très variées, selon le contexte économique, l’organisation sociale et politique, la culture, mais également en fonction des problématiques traitées et des méthodologies développées (Joliveau 2006). Les exemples mettent en évidence qu’en pratique, la dimension ‘participation publique’ des PPGIS renvoie à des réalités différentes. La construction du domaine des PPGISciences (Sieber 2004) est basée sur la convergence de concepts sociaux, culturels, éthiques et environnementaux avec les technologies de l’information et à la géomatique. Ce développement engendre des questions épistémologiques complexes, dans la mesure ou chaque discipline impliquée pose évidemment un regard différencié sur les PPGIS. Par conséquent, le concept même de PPGIS est ambigu. Il n'existe pas de consensus sur ses éléments caractéristiques. Ce constat pose problème, tant sur le plan scientifique que sur le plan pratique, dans la mesure où il rend difficile, non seulement la formalisation de méthodes de développement adaptées aux PPGIS ; mais aussi le développement de critères d'évaluation de succès et d'échec (Craig et al. 1999). La communauté scientifique des PPGIS considère d’ailleurs que pour comprendre la réalité sur laquelle les chercheurs doivent appuyer leurs travaux, la formalisation consensuelle d’une définition claire et précise du concept de PPGIS s’impose. Les spécialistes affirment que l’une des priorités actuelles est la conception d’un cadre théorique basé en particulier sur une typologie des PPGIS (Tulloch 2003, Steinmann et al. 2004). Malgré les quelques recherches déjà réalisées, seules quelques typologies partielles ont été développées, et le concept demeure flou. L’objectif principal de cette recherche consiste à concevoir une typologie plus globale à partir d’une analyse en profondeur des concepts sous-jacents. Sur le plan plus pratique, cette recherche vise à concevoir et à développer un observatoire web des expériences PPGIS (ce dernier étant à la fois une composante de l’objectif et un moyen de l’atteindre). La méthodologie est basée sur la construction d’un cadre théorique (analyse de la littérature et des typologies existantes) et une analyse empirique (étude d’une série d’expériences de PPGIS). La méthodologie est complétée par une enquête sur les forums web spécialisés, de manière à solliciter la communauté du domaine et à valider nos résultats. Cette recherche a ainsi permis de construire une typologie des PPGIS, plus globale, complémentaire de celles déjà existantes. Se faisant notre travail permet d’améliorer la compréhension de ce domaine en émergence et apporte des éléments formels permettant de mieux le caractériser.In the current context of democratization of technologies and methods of geomatics, “Public Participation GIS” practices - PPGIS multiply. The concept of PPGIS is, by its nature, interdisciplinary and multiform. It is connected, in a certain manner, to a specific variation of the GIS, understood as information systems (data, hardware, software, methods and human factor), including the dimension of public participation. Essentially, PPGIS are not limited to simple software tools. The principal objective of a PPGIS consists of accentuating/supporting the implication of the citizens in the territorial decision making processes, and to improve the access to tools, data, and information (Steinmann et al. 2004). Applications for PPGIS take a variety of forms depending on the economic context, the social and political organization, the culture, but also regarding to the treated problems and developed methodologies (Joliveau 2006). Examples underline that, in practice, dimension of “public participation” in PPGIS echoes different realities. The creation of the field (Sieber 2004) is based on the convergence of social concepts as well as cultural, ethical and environmental concepts associated with information technologies (IT) and Geomatics. This development generates complex epistemological questions, in a measure where each implied discipline obviously poses a different view on PPGIS. Consequently, the concept of PPGIS is ambiguous. There is no consensus on its characteristic elements. This circumstance causes some problems, both on the scientific and practical levels. It makes difficult, not having the standardization of methods of development adapted to the PPGIS; but also the development of evaluation criterions of success and failure (Craig and al 1999). Besides, the scientific community associated with PPGIS considers that in order to understand reality that the researchers must rely on their works, the agreed formalization of a clear and precise definition of the concept of PPGIS is inevitable. Specialists affirm that one of the current priorities is to design a theoretical framework particularly based on a typology of PPGIS (Tulloch 2003, Steinmann et al. 2004). In spite of some research work already carried out, only a few limited typologies were developed, and the concept remains unclear. The principal objective of this research consists of conceiving a more global typology starting from an in-depth analysis of the subjacent concepts. From a practical level, this research aims at designing and developing a web-based observatory of PPGIS experiments (this one is a component of our objective and at the same time a means of reaching it). Our methodology is based on the construction of a theoretical framework (literature review and an analysis of existing typologies) and an empirical analysis (study of a series of PPGIS experiments). Methodology is effectuated by an investigation into the specialized Web forums, so as to solicit the community of the field and to validate our results. This research thus made it possible to build a typology of the PPGIS, as a hole, complementary to those already existing. Doing this work improves understanding of this field in its infancy and elicits formal elements for better characterization of PPGIS

Citizen Science in Archaeology

Citizen science, as a process of volunteer participation through crowdsourcing, facilitates the creation of mass data sets needed to address subtle and large-scale patterns in complex phenomena. Citizen science efforts in other field disciplines such as biology, geography, and astronomy indicate how new web-based interfaces can enhance and expand upon archaeologists' existing platforms of volunteer engagement such as field schools, community archaeology, site stewardship, and professional-avocational partnerships. Archaeological research can benefit from the citizen science paradigm in four ways: fieldwork that makes use of widely available technologies such as mobile applications for photography and data upload; searches of large satellite image collections for site identification and monitoring; crowdfunding; and crowdsourced computer entry of heritage data

Digital archaeology and the Neolithic of the Peak.

A significant component of Landscape Archaeology is concerned with recognising human experience and activities at a number of different spatial scales. This study looks at how related areas of technology can be used to investigate these different scales of activity and experience, and how these can be integrated to capture potential synergies that exist between them. The technologies considered are Geographical Information Systems, Panoramic Virtual Reality (PVR), 3D virtual models, and interactive multimedia. Although each of these technologies have been used fairly extensively in their own right, there have been relatively few studies where they have all been applied together, to the same body of archaeological knowledge. In this study, all the technologies have been applied in the same context, which is the Neolithic of the Peak District, with particular attention focussed on the ceremonial monuments of the White Peak. This is mediated by three main case studies. The first case study uses GIS based viewshed analysis to examine the distribution of the Neolithic burial mounds and two Henge monuments of the Peak District. The results of the analysis are discussed within the prevailing models of seasonal mobility, and also address issues of increasing scales of concern from the early to later Neolithic. The second case study uses PVR to represent monuments and their landscape settings. In particular this technique is used in conjunction with some of the viewshed data created above, in order to create embodied viewsheds, as an alternative to the default presentational metaphor of the map. The third case study uses the integrative potential of interactive multimedia to combine elements of the above, along with 3D solid models of a particular monument, the Arbor Low henge. These are presented within the context of a learning resource, demonstrating how these technologies can be used as tools to facilitate learning in a constructivist environment, in which students are actively engaged in creating their own knowledge