Online Course

Introduction to GIS
GEOG 2470

 

 

Mary Beth Booth
Associate Professor, Geography

Quick Facts about GEOG 2470 Online

• Instructor: Dr. Mary Beth Booth
  
  
• Course Structure: Online, 18 - 30 hours a week for 16 weeks
  
  
• Overview: GEOG 2470 is the foundation course for the majority of the GIS courses in ACC's GIS certificate and degree programs. The course consists of narrated lectures and lab overviews, associated readings, lab exercises, lab projects, quizzes, a final exam, and discussions.
  
  The course has been divided into three sections:
  
  
  1. What is GIS and how is it used
     
     
  2. Things to consider before starting a GIS project
     • The steps in a GIS project
     • Metadata
     • Scale
     • Projections
     • Coordinate systems
     • Vector data
     • Raster data
     • Data accuracy, quality, and precision
       
       
  3. The GIS project process
     • Data capture
     • Database management
     • Spatial analyses
     • Statistical analyses
  • Presentation of results (cartography)
    
    
    
• Important Information about the tests: Even though this is an online class, you will have to go to one of the ACC Testing Centers to take three tests. If you do not live in central Texas, please make arrangements with ACC’s Distance Learning office to take the final exam near your location. You will need to do this at least 6 weeks before you want to take the final exam. See http://dl.austincc.edu/students/DistanceTesting.php for more information about distance testing.
  

• Important Information about the hardware requirements of this course: In the hybrid course or the online course, you will complete the lab work on your home computer using the ArcGIS version 10 software disc and the data disc that come with the lab book. See the Minimum Technology Requirements for more information.
  
  
• Important Information about computer skills needed for this course: :In order to be successful in this online software-based course, you need to be very comfortable with working with PC's, navigating Windows file structure, installing software, uploading and downloading files, unzipping files, copying and pasting files, and reading and following directions precisely. If you are not comfortable with ANY of the above, you should NOT take this course in the online format. You should sign up for the hybrid course or the traditional in-class course.
  
  
• Class website: http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/geog2470/online2470.html