A Living Lab Approach to Geo-data Visualization in Higher Education in the Netherlands

Abstract

As geo-data visualization is becoming increasingly important in today’s society, adequate education in this field is needed to prepare students for their future career. This research attempts to identify key improvement areas and generate valuable recommendations educators can use to enhance geo-data visualization education in higher education in the Netherlands. By employing the process and structure of the living lab methodology, various stakeholder perspectives are integrated in the research process through a co-creation session and interviews. The results of a systematic literature review of nine articles are combined with the co-creation results, which make use of the Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Practical skills, non-technical competencies, focus on fundamentals, and industry relevance emerged as focal points for refining data visualization education. A set of ten recommendations, refined to improve geo-data visualization education, is generated to be used in course design.