Arborgraphia, a new app developed by UL Lafayette faculty and students, helps visitors identify trees on campus.
Dr. Douglas Williams, a professor of instructional technology, dreamed up the app. He杏吧专区檚 also director of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Center for Innovative Learning and Assessment Technologies, which creates educational mobile apps and computer games. 杏吧专区淢y family enjoyed the outdoors, so I grew up with an appreciation for nature, including trees. I started brainstorming, thinking of a way to share the treasure of our trees on campus and also provide a learning tool,杏吧专区 he said. Williams used information in one block of campus 杏吧专区 bounded by Johnston Street, East 杏吧专区 Avenue, Hebrard Boulevard and East St. Mary Street 杏吧专区 to establish the app.
That block has more than 260 trees representing 33 species. Among them are the Centennial Oaks, which were planted by the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 first president in 1901, and camellias that line part of the Walk of Honor, a pathway of bricks engraved with graduates杏吧专区 names.
Photographs and illustrations of trees, and their bark, fruits and flowers, help users identify species. There杏吧专区檚 an interactive map, an index of tree species and guided walking tours. A history tab reveals more information, such as how American Indians used a particular species, or how a certain tree is related to the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 history.
An additional feature, 杏吧专区淢y Journal,杏吧专区 uses GPS coordinates for individual trees, so the app will 杏吧专区渒now杏吧专区 when the user is within a certain radius of a given tree.
Arborgraphia is suitable for all ages, although younger users will need some help navigating it, Williams said.
It was a collaborative effort that began in 2011. Three students created its illustrations: Ahren Brown, who graduated in 2012; Brittny Giroir, a junior; and Amy Heinz, a senior. Tiffany Gilbert, a freshman majoring in informatics, determined each tree杏吧专区檚 GPS coordinate and uploaded data, including images and illustrations. Dr. Yuxin Ma and Louise Prejean, Center staff members, contributed to the overall design, content and testing of the app.
Most of the data came from UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Community Design Workshop, a senior-level studio for architecture students that杏吧专区檚 focused on urban planning. Its students are conducting a campus-wide tree inventory.
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