Last month’s ICA page introduced the Commission on Education and Training. The chair of the commission this month describes one specific project, the ICA-sponsored Internet Cartography Teaching Programme. The idea of a web course on cartography was conceived by Prof. Ferjan Ormeling (ICA Secretary-General, 1999-2007), chairman of the commission between 1987 and 1999. According to the original plans, the proposed programme is to provide modules on cartography that can be delivered to remote locations, used to update existing courses and as alternative or additional delivery in existing courses, and can provide an international standard for cartography courses. The programme is aimed at encouraging individuals all around the world to be trained and educated in the mapping sciences, thus enhancing their ability to provide an efficient and effective service to their country, community and employer.

Existing Sources
A number of meetings and informal discussions have seen the introduction of significant conceptual changes, so that the course could now become a reality. There have been amendments to expectations of the voluntary ICA working team, and a workable arrangement has been created which takes into account the efforts of those who have already developed online resources. It has been useful to incorporate these, as the huge task of developing an online BSc Cartography programme is impossible for commission members alone. Further, ICA can provide accreditation for such material, which may assist in marketing.

Generic Headings
The first stage (version 1) is available on the website and its primary aim is to establish a presence here. No attempt has been made at this stage to integrate the modules beyond grouping them under generic headings. Modules will vary in design and depth of content. In most cases this website will provide the user with a pathway to existing resources developed and managed by other providers. One primary task associated with future versions is to provide self-assessment tasks to a common set of standards for each created module. The initial set of online modules and printed resources has been compiled from the following sources: Swiss Virtual Campus, the University of Melbourne, International Cartographic Association, ESRI, and ICA hardcopy books and test modules.

Comparison
Assembly of this material has been helped by another Commission project to continuously monitor cartography courses in higher education all over the world. Analysing this provides an impression of the diversity of different curricula, diversity that can complicate comparisons.