The cartographic potential of graphics design software for education

Acquiring cartographic skills is an important part of any geography student's training and education. Whilst there are a number of good cartographic software packages now available, graphics design (art, paint, and CAD) software packages have generally been more widely available for micro-computers offering a potentially useful alternative especially to teach computer cartography. The relatively low cost of this software, facilitating installation on educational networks, their relative ease of use for students with limited computer background and drawing skills, and widespread availability offers a number of distinct advantages. The opportunity to explore map design from an experimental perspective also makes them very attractive for educational purposes. This paper examines the educational potential of graphics design software packages for teaching cartography.