GRS-20806 Geo-information Tools

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

GRS-10306 Introduction Geo-information Science.

Continuation courses:

GRS-30306 Spatial Modelling and Statistics; GRS-51306 Geo-information Science for Society; GRS-60312 Remote Sensing and GIS Integration.

Contents:

This course is aimed at giving students knowledge and skills to implement GIS concepts within projects where geo-information plays an important role. The course content is grouped into three main components:
- basic concepts to order GIS processing and data;
- processing methods;
- presentation of spatial data. Research repeatability and reproducibility is taught. Repeatability in this course is determining a formal method that leads to the making of project end deliverables. Reproducibility in this course means implementing the formal proposed method for automated use. So-called data-action models are used to develop the required automated processes.The implementation of the reproducible methodology is worked out in the Model-Builder environment of ArcGIS.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- use basic GIS-concepts to give solutions in projects where geo-information plays an important role;
- apply concept solutions to develop a repeatable method within a project;
- translate a method into a sequence of reproducible data-action-models (in the ArcGIS Model-Builder), with a high degree of automation, which allows for easy implementation of scenarios;
- use the spatial data handling options of the ArcGIS software package to model and resolve the proposed method;
- appraise the degree of importance of each dataset in relationship to the proposed project goals;
- show the results of single or multiple scenario study by means of paper and digital maps, web-mapping services and web-based media like Google Earth.

Activities:

- the course content is based upon a case study. This case study is structured in three project levels: Application, Components and Steps.
- the students will implement these project levels during the course. At the end of the course all levels are filled in to construct a reproducible application.
- students follow lectures, study web-based materials and work on a proposed project case. The hands-on work is done in student pairs.

Examination:

The final mark for this course contains of two parts:
- project assignment (60%). Students are given a case study that requests a number of spatial datasets as project end products. The application to produce these products is the main results of this examination part. Special attention is given to how the data and models are translated into this application. The spatial end products must be shown in a digital map.
- written open book exam (40%). At the end of the course all online course material and software is accessible for use during the exam.
The course guide gives details on the assessment procedure.

Literature:

All materials are available by means of the Geotools site.
Stuiver, J., Bergsma, A., Lammeren, R. van, Geo-Information Tools web-course (Latest edition).