Thesis
Roots & migrants: a user-centered story map application for teaching and learning historical population dynamics in the United States
University of Iowa
Master of Arts (MA), University of Iowa
Spring 2025
DOI: 10.25820/etd.008025
Abstract
Roots & Migrants (https://geosocial.geography.uiowa.edu/rootsmigrants/) is a free-to-use story map application developed to enhance public scientific literacy and engagement with
respect to historical population dynamics and migration through visual storytelling. This tool is
designed with a user-friendly interface that makes it accessible to individuals with little or no
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) or cartography background. Roots & Migrants was
developed using a user-centered approach including a collaborative workshop with high school
teachers and students. Feedback from the workshop offered insights from both high school
students and teachers with regard to content, design, and potential curriculum activities. By
integrating this tool into high school curricula, the tool aims to promote historical awareness and
a deeper understanding of the role of population dynamics in shaping the United States.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Roots & migrants: a user-centered story map application for teaching and learning historical population dynamics in the United States
- Creators
- Chiamaka Loretta Nwajiaku
- Contributors
- Caglar Koylu (Advisor)David Bennett (Committee Member)Liz Hollingworth (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Arts (MA), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Geography
- Date degree season
- Spring 2025
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.008025
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xi, 103 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2025 Chiamaka Loretta Nwajiaku
- Grant note
- This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. 2215568, titled “Population-scale kinship networks and migration.”
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/28/2025
- Description illustrations
- color illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (page 78-87).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Teaching and learning United States history and its influence on the distribution and redistribution of people is very important. It helps us understand the current state of the country in terms of its social, economic, environmental and political environment. Roots & Migrants (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28934120) is a free-to-use story mapping tool designed to support history education. It combines multimedia elements such as images, pictures, videos, documents and maps to enable users explore U.S history and population changes. High school teachers and students helped shape the design and functionality of the tool by offering feedback on how it could best support classroom learning. Roots & Migrants is accessible to all users, even those without experience in mapping or data analysis. It supports learning by offering multiple ways to explore historical events, through maps, documents, videos, and visual narratives. Roots & Migrants helps students see how the past connects to the present—and shows where people lived and why they moved as an important part of the United States history.
- Academic Unit
- Geographical and Sustainability Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984830825202771
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