This course is designed to introduce the professional/student to
the abilities of technology in order to conduct data collection exercises, detailed quantitative analyses of environmental data, and the production of
high-quality output (graphs, tables, maps, etc). The participant is required to have a fair amount of understanding and awareness of computer technology
and concepts, as well as an awareness of events and components of the digital world. The participant, at the end of the course, will receive a certificate
of participation conditional upon completion of 50 hours and satisfactory coursework.
Lectures
1. Introduction to GIS – Part 12. Introduction to GIS – Part 2
3. Cartographic Concepts
4. Georefencing and Digitizing
5. Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Systems
6. Spatial Analysis
7. GIS Project Design
Practicals
Overview
This session introduces the participant to the next-generation of GIS software – ArcGIS 9. The participant is introduced to ArcGIS’ GUI, and learns how to display data and create maps using the software. Key query operations are also carried out. The user will apply GIS knowledge gleaned from the first two sessions to navigate their way through a new software.
This session essentially involves two integrated components:
• Displaying data and performing attribute and spatial query operations
• Creating a cartographically-accurate map.
Overview
This session continues the introduction to ArcGIS 9.x, introducing the participant to the ArcCatalog and ArcToolbox components of the software. Users will learn to navigate the ArcCatalog window, creating different shapefiles, and perform other file management operations. In ArcToolbox, the user is introduced to data conversion and management functions that will be conducted in later practicals. In addition to this, the participant will also learn to create original GIS data and draw and tag these in ArcMap, as well as perform data manipulation operations. It is very important that the participant works in his/her working directory and have disciplined file management.
This session involves three components:
• Introduction to ArcCatalog
• Creating and modifying data in ArcMap
• Introduction to ArcToolbox
Overview
This practical tackles cartographic design issues and guides the participant to creating maps well suited to their display medium. In this session, the participant is exposed to balance and hierarchy techniques in symbology, colouring and map element layering. Different maps are created requiring a variety of themes in layout and overall purpose.
Overview
This lab applies skills learned by the participant in the previous four labs to process image data. Individuals will work with two of the major data types used in GIS, and develop a GIS analysis from scratch, using various means of acquiring data and preparing it for analysis. The participant will learn to match locations, create a rectified image which is geographically accurate, manually extract features from this image, and explore the spatial (topological) relationships between these features.
This lab involves 3 key steps:
• Image georeferencing
• Digitizing and tagging features from the georeferenced image
• Exploring topological relationships between and among features
- Global Positioning Systems
Uses and Applications of GPS GPS Technology explained - GPS waypoint collection:
Working with GPS Equipment – understanding the technology and terminology. GPS Survey of Mona Informatics Parking lot and environs, UWI. - GIS integration and plotting coordinates:
Plotting GPS points from Survey data Defining and projecting data Integrate with other existing data Tag GPS points with field notes Overview
These three labs will introduce the participant firstly to GPS technology, instrumentation, and using GPS to collect primary data. The user will gain first-hand knowledge of how to acquire waypoints, navigate to features, and prepare to integrate this information in a GIS. GPS data will be then carried over into GIS, where the coordinate information has to be processed before the points can be plotted. Attribute-tagging skills gleaned in earlier practicals will also be put to use here. Once the coordinates have been plotted, the participant will learn how to reproject data and integrate this into an existing dataset which belongs to a different coordinate system, thereby combining primary and secondary data sources.
This lab involves 3 main stages:
• Session 5 – GPS fieldwork: GPS waypoint collection.
• Session 6 – GPS-GIS integration and plotting coordinates.
• Session 7 – Coordinate systems translations and reprojections.
Overview
This lab is intended to introduce more advanced GIS concepts to the participant, where the individual will work with continuous surfaces to analyze a landscape, and to simulate the impact of a natural hazard impact. Surface model creation and derivation techniques will be explored, and the models will be used in conjunction with vector and image data for a more complete analysis. Raster query operations will also be conducted. Multiple hazard scenarios will be simulated, ranging from landslide and earthquake hazards to coastal hazards. The user also has the option of exploring a 3D world using the exercise data.
Overview
A vital skill to have in GIS is the ability to detect errors in your dataset and know how to correct these or prevent them in the first place. Participants are put through a series of exercises to test their comprehension of how to treat the different data types and errors they will more than likely experience in basic GIS applications.
Overview
This lab is introduces the participant to concepts of data display, overlay, coverages, measurements and queries available in the Google GIS software and the customized 1-MAP application.
