As these four examples hopefully show, using maps in the classroom is a constructive addition to both undergraduate and graduate level classes. Maps provide opportunities for active learning and also situate ancient texts in a global context. Students examine ancient maps and discover that many of these places still exist and, in fact, are very important to our political and geographic context today. Borders change, today and throughout history. Incorporating maps into the classroom encourages the students to view this for themselves and to begin to understand the myriad of ways that politics shapes geographical borders. Moreover, mapwork fosters co-learning in the classroom environment. Students learn from one another and frequently, professors learn from students as well. Finally, these exercises can also be incorporated into an online or hybrid class, enabling students to participate with these websites and contribute to the course through their own exploration.Another essay in AJR's current pedagogy series.
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