There are many benefits to digital mapping (as there are for many things digital). First, there is a direct understanding of where something is located when it is digitally represented because a technology will use satellite imagery to pinpoint the exact location under discussion within a “point”. This will give us a better locational context of history and even art such as literature. For me personally as an English student, I can understand more about locational relationships not only between authors and other authors, but also between authors and the locations in which their stories are set. Understanding relative location between authors can help reveal certain interactions and influences on one another’s literary collection. This can also reveal the coming together of multiple authors, and the spreading of common ideas can be directly visualized. Not only does the authorial location reveal information about the works, but also about the locations themselves. As analytical beings, we can learn what certain authors/historical figures found valuable/useful about a certain area and from there better understand human interaction with the environment.
From our mapping of the Central College student body, I learned a few things. Most of the students for the section I mapped out came from McGrawville and Cortlandville. There are a couple conclusions that can be interpreted from this information. Firstly, these areas are located relatively close to the college, so these students may have attended the college as a means of convenience. I know many students at SUNY Cortland who grew up in the surrounding area, so maybe this is a common trend amongst college students. Next, maybe these locations are more economically affluent and have a better opportunity to afford college. I do not know if this is true merely from mapping, but it comes up as a definite possibility. Overall, just like all technological advancements in education, the convenience and directness of digital mapping is a huge advantage and a highly efficient way to locate historical information.
-Peter McKasty