Wayfinding in Global Contexts – Mapping Localized Research Practices with Mobile Devices

Through the use of GPS-enabled mobile devices, writers are increasingly able to incorporate location into their writing and research and to do so from different points around the globe. This article articulates the importance of integrating location into writing research through wayfinding. The objective is to determine how writers locally situate their work in an increasingly globalized world. In so doing, the essay describes mobile tools, such as the Strava application and GPS-mapping, to demonstrate their usability and ubiquity. Further, findings include maps from the study which integrate student research into the global locations where that writing work happens. This form of visualizing research practice clarifies and reinforces student movement as an integral aspect of conducting research in global contexts.