Syllabus

GEO 2470

Introduction to GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Spring 2012

Hybrid Eight Week Section

Synonym 48354

 

 

Contact Information

Instructor:       Dr. Mary Beth Booth, O.D.

 

Office:             Room 2145, Building 2000

Northridge Campus

 

E-mail:             mbooth@austincc.edu

 

Telephone:       512-223-4023

 

Office Hours: First 8 week session (January 17th – March 9th)

 

Monday and Wednesday

11:15 am – 5:15 pm
SAC Room 1224 (Note: If I am not in Room 1224, look in Room 1207)
223-9207

 

                        Thursday

                        7:30 am – 12:30 pm

                        NRG Room 2145

                        223 - 4023

 

                                    (Or by appointment)

                                   

                                   

                                    Second 8 week session (March 19th – May 10th)

 

                                    Monday and Wednesday

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
SAC Room 1224 (Note: If I am not in Room 1224, look in Room 1207)
223-9207

 

                        Thursday

                        10:00 am – 1:00 pm

                        NRG Room 2145

                        223 - 4023

 

(Or by appointment)


Course Description

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is a computer-based tool that uses spatial (geographic) data to analyze and solve real-world problems. This course is designed to introduce the student to the basic principles and techniques of GIS. The lab material will emphasize GIS data collection, entry, storage, analysis, and output using ArcGIS.

 

 

Required Textbook/Materials

USB drive (aka flash or thumb drive) or a portable external hard drive. It should be at least 2 GB in size. If you can afford it, I recommend you get one with 4 or higher GB of storage.

 

 

Ormsby, Tim et al. 2010. Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop . Redlands, CA: ESRI Press. Second Edition, Updated for ArcGIS 10. ISBN: 9781589482609.  NOTE: You MUST use the edition that has been updated for ArcGIS 10. The software has changed significantly from the 9.3 version.

 

Most readings as assigned will be available in electronic format. Most lectures include an assigned reading that should be completed before class the class in which it will be discussed. Students should come to lectures prepared to discuss the reading assignment. The reading assignments are in the course calendar.

 

Required Technology for the Hybrid course

            A computer with the following minimum specifications:

                       

                        Platform: PC-Intel

                        Operating system: Windows 7, Windows Vista,  or Windows XP

                        Processor: 2.2 GHz dual core or higher

                        Memory/RAM: 2 GB minimum

                        DVD-ROM Drive

                        Disk space: 2.4 GB

            For more detailed information about hardware requirements for ArcGIS 10, go to:

http://resources.arcgis.com/content/arcgisdesktop/10.0/arcgis-desktop-system-requirements

           

Reliable Internet access and a working ACC email address ("working" also means that your mailbox is not full.)

 

Instructional Methodology

The course will be taught with a combination of lectures, lab exercises, and lab projects.

This section of Introduction to GIS will be taught as a Classroom Hybrid course. Two days each week, students meet with the instructor on campus; the remainder of the coursework is completed independently. You will complete the lab work using your own computer and the ArcGIS software that will be provided to you.


"Hybrid" is the name commonly used to describe courses that combine traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with online computer-based learning. ACC Hybrid courses combine the best of two worlds, engaging students in the active, autonomous learning process of an Internet-based PCM course, while also providing regularly scheduled interaction with the course instructor.

Hybrid courses offer a number of advantages over face-to-face teaching and online-only courses, including increased student learning and retention rates. The flexibility of the Hybrid format allows students to enjoy the convenience of scheduling courses to better fit their busy lives, and benefit from the self-directed learning activities, advancing their time management, critical-thinking, and technical skills.

Because you only meet with the instructor for 5.5 hours each week instead of the usual 11 hours, you are expected to spend at least 5.5 hours each week working on the lab exercises independently. In addition, you will need at least 10 -20 more hours a week for studying, completing homework assignments and lab projects, etc. You may need considerably more time to complete the course work by the deadlines.

 

Course rationale

Introduction to GIS is designed to provide the students with an understanding of the methods and theories of spatial analysis that will allow students to apply GIS knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, to apply the course towards an associate’s degree or a certificate at Austin Community College, and to prepare them for success in upper division courses in GIS at other institutions.

 

 

Course Level Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the student will

·         define geography and GIS

·         describe scale, projection, and coordinate systems and explain importance of each in GIS

·         differentiate between vector, raster, and object-oriented data structures and explain the appropriate use of each of these data structures

·         describe various types of GIS data capture

·         explain the basics of GIS data storage,

·         differentiate between attribute analysis and spatial analysis and describe the appropriate use of each type of analysis,

·         produce effective maps of analytical results which adhere to established cartographic standards

·         demonstrate proficiency with GIS software

 

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Associate of Arts in GIS program, the student will

·         use GIS knowledge to choose appropriate problem-specific spatial analyses

·         differentiate between attribute and spatial queries and describe the proper use of each

·         use GIS technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present spatial information

 

Grading

 

 
 

 

 


            Tests

There will be three lecture exams. Each test is worth a maximum of 100 points. You must start the test BEFORE anyone finishes the test, so do not be late on test days. There are NO retests. Make-up tests will only be given in the event that a true emergency prevents you from taking the test at the scheduled time. You must contact the instructor as soon as safely possible if you miss a test. The instructor will determine what constitutes a true emergency.

 

Lab Projects

There will be two lab projects due throughout the semester. These lab projects will use the skills acquired from the previous lab exercises. The first lab project will be worth a maximum of 50 points, and the second lab project will be worth a maximum of 80 points. Details about the lab projects will be provided on the lab project assignment sheet.

 

Lab Homework

There will be 5 lab homework assignments. Each assignment is worth 10 points. Late homework assignments will NOT be accepted.

 

Written Assignment

There will be one written assignment. It will be a map critique. The written assignment will be worth 20 points. Late written assignments will NOT be accepted.

 

Lab Quiz

           On February 27th, there will be an in-lab hands-on lab quiz. You will not be able to use your notes or lab book, but you will be able to use ArcGIS’s help feature. I will give you 3 practice lab quizzes ahead of time. These are intended for you to gain practice with the software before the actual lab quiz. The lab quiz is worth a maximum of 100 points.

 

 

Grades will be based on the following:

Lecture exams                         300 points

            Lab projects                            130 points

Lab Homework                         50 points

Written Assignment                  20 points

            Lab Quiz                                 100 points

            Total Points Avalable           600 points

 

Final letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

A         540 to 600 points
B         480 to 539 points
C         420 to 479 points
D         360 to 419 points
F              0 to 359 points

*Note: The grade of “I” (Incomplete) is very rarely assigned in this course. In the event that a true emergency (such as hospitalization) prevents the student from taking the last test, a grade of “I” may possibly be given at the discretion of the instructor. Incompletes must be made up by the deadline published in ACC’s academic calendar (sometime in the middle of the Summer semester, 2012), or the “I” will automatically be converted to an “F”.

 

 

Course Policies

 

 
 

 

 


Attendance Policy

Success in this class will depend on your commitment to the class. You are expected to attend class unless an emergency keeps you from doing so. You are responsible for any announcements made in class and lab even if you were not in class that day. Students who miss class/lab need to hand in assignments (if there are any) on time and need to make their own arrangements to obtain related notes, handouts, or announcements.

 

 

Students with Special Needs

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.

 

 

Classroom Policy

The classroom will be a place in which we will discuss and debate many issues this semester. As college students and professors, we must make the classroom a safe place for stimulating discussion and academic growth. This class will be conducted in a manner that honors common courtesy and mutual respect for all students. In this spirit, please:

·         turn off all cell phones and pagers before you enter the classroom

·         do not use the class computers for Facebook, email, other classes’ work, etc. during scheduled class time

 

 

Lecture Notes

Lecture note outlines will be available on ACC’s Blackboard website (http://acconline.austincc.edu) In order to log into Blackboard, you will need your ACCeID. Your ACCeID will consist of the first letter of your official first name followed by your 7-digit ID number. Your 7-digit ID number can be found on one of the following:

·         ACC ID Card

·         Student Grade Mailer

·         Fee Statement

·         Pay Advice/Check Stub

·         ACC Online Services

Faculty, staff, and students will choose their own password, which must be changed regularly. To activate your ACCeID, go to ACC’s main webpage (www.austincc.edu) and follow the ACCeID Manager link above the big gold key on the right side of the page.

Once you have activated your ACCeID, log into Blackboard (http://acconline.austincc.edu).  Follow the link to this course (GEOG 2470). If you are not familiar with Blackboard, go to http://irt.austincc.edu/blackboard/StudentSupport.php for online support help. To access the Blackboard User Manual, go to http://irt.austincc.edu/blackboard/downloads/Blackboard_Community_System_User_Manual_for_Release_8.pdf.

 

These lecture notes are OUTLINES only and do NOT substitute for class attendance. They are NOT comprehensive. I provide them as a courtesy to you so that you will not have to transcribe the PowerPoint slides. You are still expected to take notes on the material presented in class. I make no promises that the lecture outlines are complete. We may also discuss other things in class that are not on the lecture outlines; however you will still be responsible for knowing that material. I encourage you to print the notes out BEFORE you come to class.

 

 

Reading Assignments

Most readings as assigned will be available in electronic format. Most lectures include an assigned reading that should be completed before the class in which it will be discussed. Students should come to lectures prepared to discuss the reading assignment.

 

           

Handouts

Occasionally additional material will be handed out during class. It is the student's responsibility to obtain handouts from other class members if the student misses class. The instructor will NOT provide handouts to students who miss class.

 

 

Lab Overview Videos

I have created a web page with lab exercises videos (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html). This web page provides links to Flash video demonstrations for each exercise in the lab book. There are also links to video overviews for each chapter. For each chapter, you are required to watch the video overview before doing the exercises for that chapter. If you ever get stuck while doing one of the exercises or if things do not appear to be working as they should, watch the video for that exercise. If you still have questions or problems after watching the video, please post the question or problem to the appropriate discussion forum in Blackboard.

 

Topic-Specific Study Guides

Study Guides for each topic are available on Blackboard. The study guides are meant as an aid to help you check your comprehension of the material. To access the study guides, click on the “Study Guides” button on the main Blackboard web page for this class.

 


This is how you should use the study guides: When you believe that you really know the material, look at the study guide for that topic. You should be able to easily define the key concepts and answer the review questions. If you are having difficulty, you need to go back and study some more. The study guides are not meant to be comprehensive.

 

 

Email in Blackboard

Every ACC student is given an email account through ACC. This email address will end with @g.austincc.edu. This is the email address that I will use and the college will use to contact you throughout the semester. As a requirement of this course, you MUST activate your ACC email account and check it as least once per week. To learn more about this email and how to activate it, go to http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/. Activate it today and start checking it regularly.

 

Academic Integrity

Students enrolled in this class are responsible for observing the policy on academic integrity described in 2011-2012 ACC’s “Information You Need to Know” (http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow/ ).

 

Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework.

 

If a student commits any of the above actions, the instructor may seek disciplinary action in the form of an academic penalty (which may include a course grade of 'F'). Such disciplinary action will be at the discretion of the instructor.

 

 

Academic Freedom

Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class discussions. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. Students may not only disagree with each other at times, but the students and instructor may also find that they have disparate views on sensitive and volatile topics. It is my hope that these differences will enhance class discussion and create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and learn. Therefore, be assured that your grades will not be adversely affected by any beliefs or ideas expressed in class or in assignments. Rather, we will all respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

 

 

Last Day to Withdraw

The last day to withdraw from this course for the Spring 2012 first eight week session is Monday March 5, 2012. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from the course if needed. Once a student has shown up to class at least once, the instructor will NOT withdraw that student from the class.

 

ArcGIS Online

 
 

 

 

 


What is ArcGIS online?

ArcGIS Online provides a common platform to find, share, and organize geographic content and to build GIS applications. It is a web resource hosted by ESRI, the company that makes the ArcGIS software that you will be using in this course and throughout your academic program at ACC. Through ArcGIS.com, the Web interface for ArcGIS Online, you can access maps, apps, and tools published by ESRI and other GIS users, and share your own content with a broad community of users. Resources can be shared with everyone or can be restricted to members with a group.

How will ArcGIS Online be used in this class?

ArcGIS Online will be used in two ways in this class. You will upload some of your homework assignments as map packages to your own private group. You will also share your maps, as well as view and critique your classmates' maps, within the class group.


How do I make a free ArcGIS Online account?

See this video (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/ESRI_account.htm) for detailed instructions for creating an ArcGIS Online account. It is a two step process. First you must create an ESRI global account and then you must register your global account on www.arcgis.com.


Which ArcGIS Online groups will I use in this class?

You will belong to two groups within this class.

1.      A class group called Geog 2470 Spring 2012 M and W. All registered students will be members of this group. Anything you post to this group can be accessed by anyone in the class.

2.      A private group called yourlastname GEOG 2470. So if your name is Jane Doe, your private group would be Doe GEOG 2470. Only you and the instructor will be able to see and access this group. This is where you will upload most of your assignments in this class. The detailed directions for uploading homework will be in the homework assignments.

Now that I have made my ArcGIS Online account, what do I do?

Once you have created your ArcGIS Online account, email the instructor (mbooth@austincc.edu) to let her know what your user account name is. The subject line should read "Your name - ArcGIS user name. In the body of the email, put your ArcGIS user name and your real name. Once the instructor receives your email, she will invite you to join the class group and your private group on ArcGIS Online. You will receive an email after she issues the invitations with directions about how to accept the invitations and access your groups.

 

 

Miscellaneous

 
 

 


GIS@ACC Website and Mailing List

ACC’s GIS Department maintains the GIS@ACC departmental website. (https://sites.google.com/a/austincc.edu/gis-acc/ ) This website has information about the department, GIS job opportunities, internships, GIS conferences, etc. You can subscribe to GIS@ACC by email. You'll be emailed any job and industry announcements posted on this website. See the website for more information.

 

 

ESRI Publications

ESRI has many free publications for GIS users. ArcNews and ArcUser are particularly helpful. You can sign up for these publications at the ESRI website (www.esri.com)

 

 

Studying

As a college-level academic course, this is a challenging course that will cover a lot of material. Every semester, I am asked what the best way to study for this class is. Clearly there is no one right way to study. But I have two suggestions that may help you master the material. First, every day after class, go home and rewrite your notes so they make sense to you. Second, every night, review all of the material for that test. So on the first day of class, rewrite your notes and review the first day’s material. Every day until class meets again, review the first day’s material. When class meets for the second time, rewrite those notes and then study the material for the first and second day. Every day until class meets again, review the first day’s and the second day’s material. By the time test time rolls around, the earlier material will be very familiar to you, so you can concentrate on learning the newer material.

 

Finally

Here are a few things to remember:

 

1.      Neither I nor other instructors give you grades. You earn grades. The ways you earn points towards your grade are detailed in this syllabus.

2.      These are the rules.

3.      The rules are not negotiable.

4.      The rules apply to you.

 

 

If you remember these things, we will all have a much more pleasant and productive semester. Welcome to the class!


 

Lecture/Lab Outline and Calendar

 

 
 


The instructor reserves the right to change the lecture schedule if necessary.

 

January 18

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Syllabi

§  Getting User IDs and passwords for lab computers

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overview of lab chapter 3

§   (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)

§  Complete all the exercises in chapter 3 in the lab book.

§  Read the article “what is GIS?” by Caitlin Dempsey on the GIS Lounge website (http://gislounge.com/what-is-gis/)

§  Read Chapters 1 and 2 in the "Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop" lab book. Chapter 1 describes GIS and Chapter 2 introduces you to the ArcGIS software that will be used throughout the semester.

 

These things are optional:

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 3. (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)

 

 

January 23

 

What we will cover in class:

 

§  Introduction/Definition of GIS

§  Watch Penn State’s “Geospatial Revolution” videos (Episode 1)

 

 

What you must do on your own:

 

§  Watch Penn State’s “Geospatial Revolution” videos (episodes 2, 3, and 4) (http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/ )

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 4 and 5.

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 4 and 5 in the lab book

§  Complete Lab Homework #1. It is due at the beginning of class on Jan 30th.

 

These things are optional:

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 4 and 5.

§  A great website about GIS careers and Education: http://geoinfo.sdsu.edu/hightech/index.htm


§  Peruse the following. Each of these websites illustrates how local agencies are using GIS.

Sidewalk Planning: A GIS-based Approach in Austin, Texas

Texas General Land Office

Capital Area Planning Council's GIS Services

§  Read the following article on classification methods. It explains the classification methods used in ArcGIS in more detail. Make sure that you click on each of the links to explore all the classification methods.

Standard Classification Schemes (ArcGIS Desktop Help)

§   

 

January 25

What we will cover in class:

§  Scale, Projection and Coordinate Systems

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 6 and 13

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 6 and 13 in the lab book

§  For more information on Projections, please read:

o   The National Atlas' article on Projections (http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)

§  For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:

o   ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems (http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm

 

These things are optional:

 

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 6 and 13.

§  If you would like to take ESRI’s online virtual campus course on Projections and Coordinate Systems, send me an email requesting the code for that course. I will get the code for you. You will have one year to complete the online course.

§  If you want more information about projections and coordinate systems, the GIS lounge (http://gislounge.com/projections-and-coordinate-systems/) has many tutorials which can provide additional information

§  For more information on Scale:

o   Map Scale - Measuring Distances on a Map (http://geography.about.com/cs/maps/a/mapscale.htm)

§  For more information on Projections:

o   The National Atlas' article on Projections (http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)

o   ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Map Projections (http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?TopicName=About%20map%20projections)


§  For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:

o   ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems (http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm

 

§  If you would like to look at some sources of GIS data for our next lecture, please explore these websites:

o   Foote, Kenneth E. and Margaret Lynch. The University of Colorado – The Geographers Craft – Data Sources for GIS.
[http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/sources/sources_f.html]

o   Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas Data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]

o   UT Community and Regional Planning – GIS Data.
[http://soa.utexas.edu/crp/gis/datasets]

o   The Capital Area Council of Governments – Geospatial Data.
[http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/]. The Texas Natural Resources Information System.
[http://www.tnris.org

o   US Maps and Data
[http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos/].

o   ESRI’s The Geography Network.
[http://www.geographynetwork.com/].

o   The GIS Data Depot.
[http://data.geocomm.com

 

January 30

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Data Sources

§  Steps in a GIS project

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 7 and 8.

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 7 and 8 in the lab book.

§  Complete Lab Homework #2. It is due at the beginning of class on February 6th.

 

These things are optional:

 

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 7 and 8.

§  Possible Sources of Data:

o   Texas County Data: http://www.county.org/resources/countydata/index.asp

o   Harris County:  http://pdata.hcad.org/GIS/

o   City of Austin: ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html

o   Williamson County GIS links: http://www.williamson-county.org/CountyDepartments/GIS/Links/tabid/533/language/en-US/Default.aspx

o   Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]

o    

o   High Resolution Ortho Imagery (USGS): http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/products/highortho.asp

o   National Atlas raw data download: http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html?openChapters=chpbound#chpbound

o   The National Map Seamless Server: http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm

o   ArcGIS Resource Center: http://resources.esri.com/arcgisonlineservices/index.cfm?fa=home

o   US-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative: http://borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/datalayers.html

o   USDA (One stop Source for Natural Resources Data): http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/

o   The Berkeley/Penn Urban & Environmental Modeler's Datakit: http://www.dcrp.ced.berkeley.edu/research/footprint/

o   GIS Climate Change Scenarios: http://www.gisclimatechange.org/

o   Kenya data: http://www.wri.org/publication/content/9291

o   NatureServe Animal Data: http://www.natureserve.org/getData/animalData.jsp

o   Conservation GeoPortal: http://www.conservationmaps.org/index.jsp

o   GAP Analysis Program: http://gapanalysis.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt

 

February 1

What we will cover in class:

§  Vector Data Structure

§  Data Quality, Accuracy and Precision

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 9 and 10

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 9 and 10 in the lab book.

§  Complete lab homework #3. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on February 8th.

 

These things are optional:

 

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 9 and 10.

§  Read Barbara Parmenter’s (Tufts University) article on GIS Data Structures: http://ocw.tufts.edu/data/54/676127.pdf

 

 


February 6

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Test 1 (first hour of class on Feb 6th – don’t be late!)

§  Raster Data Structure

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 11 and 12

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 11 and 12

§  Complete lab homework #4. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on Feb 13th

§  Start working on Lab Project #1

 

 

These things are optional:

 

§  Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 11and 12.

 

February 8 and 13

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Cartography

§  Map Critiques

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Finish Lab Project #1. Lab Project 1 is due Feb 20th.

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 18, and 19

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 18, and 19

§  Complete the written assignment  (Map Critique). This written exercise is due Feb 22nd.

 

 

These things are optional:

 

§  Read (http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/cartocom/cartocom_f.html). This website was developed by Kenneth E. Foote and Shannon Crum, The Geographer's Craft Project, Department of Geography, The University of Colorado at Boulder

§   If you want to more information on cartography, request a code from me for the ESRI virtual campus course on cartography (http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=831). To request this code, send me an email (mbooth@austincc.edu)

 

 


February 15

         

          What we will cover in class:

§  Data capture

 

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 14 and 15

§  Complete all the exercises in chapters 14 and 15

§  Complete lab homework #5. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on Feb 27th.

 

These things are optional:

§  For a tutorial on GPS by Trimble, go to:  http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml

 

 

February 20 and 22

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Test 2 (first hour of class on Feb 20th)

§  Database Management

§  Queries

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 16 and 17

§  Complete  all the exercises in chapters 16 and 17

§  Start working on Lab Project 2. It is due March 7th.

 

These things are optional:

§  Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – Statistical Analysis http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Statistical_analysis/002s0000000n000000/

§  For a basic primer on Statistical Analysis, go to: http://graphics.clemson.edu/vdp/Basic_Stats.pdf

 

Feb 27

 

What we will cover in class:

§  Lab Quiz on  February 27th  – first 75 minutes of class

§  Statistical Analysis

 

 

 

What you must do on your own:

 

§  Continue working on Lab Project 2. It is due March 7th.

 


These things are optional:

 

§  Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – What is geoprocessing? http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_is_geoprocessing/002s00000001000000/

§  Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – An introduction to the commonly used GIS tools. Read that web page and also click on the links for Overlay and Proximity Analysis and read those pages as well. http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/An_introduction_to_the_commonly_used_GIS_tools/002s00000006000000/

 

 

 

Feb 29 and Mar 5

 

What we will cover in class/lab:

§  Spatial Analysis

§  Continue working on Lab Project #2

 

What you must do on your own:

§  Continue working on Lab Project #2

§  Read the Legal Issues handout that the instructor will give you.

 

These things are optional:

 

§  For a scholarly look at Spatial Analysis, "Geospatial Analysis" by de Smith, Goodchild and Longley addresses the full spectrum of analytical techniques that are provided within modern GIS and related geospatial software products. http://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/

 

March 7

 

What we will cover in class/lab:

§  Test 3 (first hour of class)

§  Project #2 Presentations

 


 

Syllabus Agreement

 

 
 

 


Please read the following and if you are agreed, sign and turn into the instructor:

 

I have read the syllabus for GEOG 2470 (Introduction to GIS) to be taught by Mary Beth Booth in the first eight week session Spring semester 2012. I understand the requirements of the course as detailed in the syllabus and I agree to abide by them.

 

 

 

_______________________________

Print Name

 

 

 

_______________________________

Signature