Abstract
When we move though space, we act on a myriad of information; memories, background knowledge, and expectations, as well as external sources of information, such as analogue maps or guides, and digital satnav systems. The decisions we make as we navigate unfamiliar spaces are often influenced by the information we gain from such guidance, and regardless of whether they are paper or device-based, they present a very specific view of the world. In the following discussion, it is argued that these ways of representing spatial information neglect the quality of places that people often want to learn about and experience. This local knowledge is often the most useful and rewarding, but most of the time there are no suitable frameworks for the social exchange of this information between those who hold the knowledge and those who seek it. In order to understand how such sharing of local knowledge may be enabled, a case study of the activity of geocaching, which is a global positioning system (GPS) assisted hide and seek game, is introduced. The life of one particular ‘cache’ is discussed in detail; and in conclusion, a series of key practices are described that characterize the geocaching experience and may provide insights into the sharing of local place-based information.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 0 |
Journal | Aether: Journal of Media Geography |
Volume | 0 |
Issue number | 0 |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2010 |