Geography 355: a follow up to Geography 222 & 353
But no prereq! Why? some problems with this!
Best to take 222 then 353 then 355 but any combination OK
Different ways to teach this course:
Lectures + series of exercises
Lectures + one big exercise broken into parts (Geog 353)
Or get away from those formats:
Student presentations of readings
Self guided tutorial
Applied, real-world group project (practicum, service learning, etc.)
Exhibit A: GIS Texts for course and software (ArcGIS)
GIS: set of concepts and hardware and software
Data input, analysis, output
Capabilities and applications expanding exponentially
ex) Delaware Data in ArcGIS
Data Input (how?)
Data Layers (examples)
Data analysis (property owners along a particular trail)
Data output (printer)
Course goal: become familiar (or more familiar) with GIS concepts, functionality, software
Exhibit B: Delaware Recreational Trail and Green Spaces materials; Environmental Justice materials; SNC Projects (2008, Fall)
GIS is so popular because it is useful: many applications, but GIS applications are a lot of work!
Data input: where is data from? format? what data do you need?
Analysis: how analytical capabilities of GIS solve real problems?
Output: on computer screen? paper? WWW? To what audience?
The complexities of an actual application
Knowing enough about an application so that you can use GIS: experts
The human context: working in a group, project politics, costs involved, institutions within which GIS is supposed to function
Course Goal: Learn that GIS is much more than a bunch of software functions in Arc GIS
The goal this semester is to bring together exhibits A and B
Learn about GIS as a software tool: its functions, capabilities
Apply what we learn to a real world projectIn working through a real world application we will learn what GIS is really about much more than just software and hardware
Geography 353: Scripted project, all figured out for you, me active, you more passive
Useful for learning…but limited…just following instructions
This course: active learning for all of us
We will work as a group (or in sub groups) throughout the semester
You will be active in shaping what we do and how we do it
The success of the course depends on your engagement in the course
You will push yourself and me to get the most you can get out of this course
Problems: anxiety provoking, potential for disorder and problems, unmotivated & passive students
Benefits: learn a lot in “real world” setting with real problems to solve, forced to move beyond passive lump in class, maybe even have an impact
Field trip! (ok, carpet trip)
OWU students: smart, motivated, engaged; and small class sizes
Upper level courses should involve real engagement (so that is what I expect)
Bottom Line: for this course to work:
Active participation by all students: lumpen passivity not allowed
Collaboration with each other and OWU and community folks
Students should expect to play an active and vital role in the class and in the project!
If you don’t like that kind of class, then drop!
Review: Syllabus and Schedule and General Course Structure (blog)
Create your Course Blog
1) go to wordpress.com
2) sign up and create a blog
3) set up the look of the blog and create some categories
Class Readings
Class Project
Class Exercises
Evaluations
Personal
4) new post: introduction to you
5) new post: Schurmann reading (ch. 1) notes, comments, questions
6) new post: One GIS application area of interest, with at least 3 links & graphics
7) email me the URL to your Blog by 10am Wednesday: thus all the stuff above is due then.
