Developing the Competence of Representing the Topography by Discrete Colour Bands Method

The present study describes a teaching experiment aimed at the integrated development of competences at various study subjects. According to the curriculum, the students in Cartography at the Faculty of Geography (University of Bucharest) should learn how to make a hypsometric map by using the computer as early as the first semester of the 1st year of study. However, when using the software, they are not able to understand the interpolation algorithm lying "behind" the command. Besides, the teaching experience of the authors shows that most students use the various commands of the GIS software or computer-assisted cartography programs only because they exist, without considering the use of a particular command or algorithm. Although the hypsometric map is widely used, many cartographic representations of this kind contain errors that are derived from the superficial understanding of the basic concepts. Consequently, we made an experiment aimed at correlating a number of notions, concepts and procedures. Using the same basemap (a spot elevation map), the students were able to develop the competence of interpolating and manually drawing contour maps (during the Land Surveying class). Subsequently, once they understood these principles, they developed the competence of making a digital hypsometric map by using the tinting method, starting from spot elevations and not from contour lines (at Methods and Techniques of Cartographic Representation). The advantage was that the students were able to understand the fundamentals of a particular program algorithm, to apply the various procedures based on understanding them and to correlate their knowledge. All these are premises for creativity, for a correct use of procedures (irrespective of the involved topography) and for raising the quality of the geographic higher education.