Geographic Information Science and Technology GIS

1
Geographic Information Science and Technology
(GIS T) What it is and what you should know
Michael N. DeMers
2
(No Transcript)
3
Task Force Members

• Linda Bishoff GE Smallworld representative
• Aileen Buckley Univ. of Oregon
• Michael DeMers New Mexico State University
• Farrell Jones Intergraph representative
• Karen Kemp Univ. of Redlands
• Mandayam Srinivas Cal State Poly at Pomona (CS)

• Duane Marble The Ohio State University
• Carolyn Merry The Ohio State University
• Donna Peuquet The Pennsylvania State Univ.
• Jay Sandhu ESRI representative
• Elizabeth Wentz Arizona State University
• Richard Wright San Diego State University

4
Why we did this
5
The Problems

• Shortage of GI Science and Technology personnel
• Mismatch between educational programs and
  required personnel
• Little organized effort to change this situation
• Existing graduates lack depth in many GI Science
  Technology areas and supporting disciplines
  (e.g. CS, Math)

6
Impacts and Implications

• Hinders the identification of critical
  spatiotemporal components of governmental and
  business problems.
• Limits the ability of users to effectively deploy
  the full capabilities of todays GIScience
  Technology.
• Inhibits technological innovation within the
  industry supplying users with GI Science and
  Technology.
• Impedes GIScience research that provides the
  ideas driving these innovations.

7
GI Technology Undergoing Change

• Move to object-orientation.
• Replacement of old scripting languages
• (e.g., Avenue) with Visual Basic, etc.
• Development of larger, more complex databases.
• Increased focus on spatial analysis tools.
• All of these suggest a need for more CS, Math,
  and stronger background in spatial modeling,
  spatial statistics and operations research that
  is, GI Science.

8
Solution An Integrated Curriculum

• Curriculum a course of study
• Implies
• Long term goals
• Short term behavioral objectives
• Resources for delivery
• Methods of delivery
• Timing and sequencing

THIS IS NOT A SET OF LECTURES
9
Different Goals - Linked Outcomes

• Each student has a different personal GI ST goal
• All tend to fall into some subset of these
  general categories
• Gain a general knowledge of GI Science
  Technology
• Apply GI Science Technology within a specific
  discipline
• Develop ways to apply GI Science Technology to
  new areas
• Develop GI Science and GI Technology
• For each general outcome we must determine the
  necessary educational background
• Then determine how that background may best be
  attained
• Including the use of non-traditional educational
  approaches.

10
The Multi-Path GI Curriculum
11
The Task Forces Approach

• Define the different paths that exist within the
  overall curriculum.
• Prepare a detailed outcomes statement for each
  defined path that includes explicit statements
  regarding levels of knowledge.
• For each path, define the set of learning modules
  required to attain the desired outcome at the
  requisite levels of knowledge.
• Identify common learning modules across the
  various paths within the curriculum.

12
The Task Forces Approach (continued)

• Produce an efficient, flexible curriculum that is
  capable of being adapted to a variety of
  institutional circumstances and methods of
  delivery.
• Do so in a fashion that articulates with the long
  history of model curriculum development in
  computer science and information technology -
  see
• www.computer.org/education/cc2001/index.htm
• Obtain and integrate extensive public comment at
  each major stage of the development of the Model
  Curriculum.

13
The GI ST KnowledgeFocus Areas

• 1. Conceptualization (spatial-temporal)
• 2. Formalizing (spatial-temporal)
• Data models and structures
• 4. Design aspects of GI ST
• Data acquisition, sources, and standards
• Data Manipulation not involving inferential or
  analytical operations
• Exploratory data analysis
• Confirmatory spatial and space-time analysis
• Computational geography (geocomputation)
• Visualizations and presentations
• Organizational and institutional aspects
• Professional, social, and legal aspects of GI ST

14
Cross-cutting themes

• Error / Uncertainty
• Metadata
• Interoperability
• Language
• Generalization
• QC / verification
• QA / validation

15
Curriculum Content

• Instructions on the use of the document
• General desired outcome paths
• Knowledge areas (core topics and those specific
  to each path)
• Competency levels for each knowledge area
• Course outlines and laboratory activities
• Implementation, assessment, and maintenance plan

16
Key words for learning objectives

• To be at the mastery level, students should be
  able to demonstrate the goal of the module using
  terms like
• Distinguish between
• Create
• Use
• Implement
• Discuss
• Explain
• Demonstrate
• Identify
• Describe
• Compare and contrast
• Determine

17
Where Are We Now?

• The strawman document is DONE!
• www.ucgis.org

18
(No Transcript)
19
Were not magicians
We dont want to create a curriculum monster
We need your help!
Please visit the UCGIS website and participate!
20
What does this mean to you?

• NMSU is a very good place to learn GI ST

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
The GIS Faculty and Support Staff

• Dr. Michael N. DeMers (Director of the NSF
  Laboratory for Environmental Spatial Analysis
  LESA), Geography Dept. Head
• Specialties GIS, Remote Sensing, Landscape
  Ecology, Zoocartography
• Dr. Christopher Brown (Asst. Professor of
  Geography)
• Specialties GIS, GIScience, Water Policy, US
  Mexico Border
• Dr. Robert Czerniak (Professor), (Director of the
  Geography Departments Projects Laboratory)
• Specialties Transportation Geography, Planning,
  GIS, Land Records
• Ms Janet Greenlee (MAG), GIS Technician of LESA
• Specialties Remote Sensing, GIS, Modeling
• Mr. Matt Rich (MAG), Projects coordinator for
  Geography Departments Projects Laboratory
• Specialties Land Records, GIS

24
Highlights and Accomplishments

• 1.6 million in active grants and contracts
• NSF, NASA, State Agencies, Soil and Water
  Conservation Society
• 18 active MAG students
• 2 complete state-of-the-art GIS laboratories
• Virtually 100 employment of our graduates
• Graduate and undergraduate GIS minors
• High contact with faculty
• Accessibility to GIS hardware and software
• 7 GIS related courses in Geography
• 2 GIS courses in other departments (Geological
  sciences Fisheries and Wildlife Science
• 2 GIT courses offered by Dona Ana Branch
• Several related courses in GPS, LIS, etc. through
  Survey Engineering
• Dept. Head is the author of 4 books on GIS

25
Please e-mail Dr. Michael N. DeMers Head, Dept.
of Geography, NMSU mdemers_at_nmsu.edu