A powerful tool to visualize spatial history and digital storytelling, ArcGIS has a lot of potential for use in the classroom. This project explores ways to utilize ArcGIS in teaching pre-modern Japanese literature and culture in medium-sized classes by using StoryMaps and Spyglass to create an intuitive classroom experience. Although ArcGIS has received much attention in pedagogical studies, it remains overlooked in the teaching of pre-modern literature, culture, and history. In this presentation, I will demonstrate how to create an interactive map to which additional content can be added by students through layering multiple StoryMaps of different formats. This makes it possible to combine primary and secondary readings, visual materials, pre-modern and modern maps, and other resources onto one site. Essentially, this project intends to improve the traditional lecture-style teaching in pre-modern Japanese studies through object- and inquiry-based learning.
