Syllabus
GEO 2471
Advanced GIS (Geographic Information
Systems)
Fall 2008
Synonym 25700
Instructor: Dr.
Office: Room 2145, Building 2000
Northridge Campus
E-mail:
Telephone: 512-223-4023
Office Hours:
Or by Appointment
Advanced GIS is designed for the student who wants to pursue a career in GIS. The course will cover planning, designing and implementing a scalable, enterprise-wide GIS and relational database management system. The course will look at common problems encountered when implementing a GIS and examine possible solutions to these problems. The course will also cover sophisticated spatial analyses such as neighborhood functions, cost-surface generation, density mapping, and spatial modeling. Prerequisite: GEOG 2470 or instructor approval
Required Materials
A flash (aka pen, thumb, jump, etc) drive. I recommend getting at least a 2 GB drive. When it comes to GIS, the more storage space, the better.
Prerequisites
Introduction to GIS (GEOG 2470) or instructor approval
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, the student
Will understand the Geodatabase model and how it improves data modeling and integrity
Will understand the basics of spatial modeling including surface modeling, density modeling, hillshades and viewsheds
Will be comfortable using ArcGIS and extensions
Required Technology for the Hybrid course
A computer with the following minimum specifications:
Platform: PC-Intel
Operating
system: Windows
Processor: 1.6 GHz
Memory/RAM: 1 GB minimum (2 GB recommended)
Disk space: 2.4 GB
Reliable Internet access and a working email address ("working" also means that your mailbox is not full.)
Instructional
Methodology
The course will be taught with a combination of lectures, demonstrations, lab exercises, lab projects, and presentations.
This section of Advanced GIS will be taught as a Classroom Hybrid course. One day each week, students meet with the instructor on campus for the lecture portion of the class; the remainder of the coursework is completed independently. You will complete the lab work using your own computer & 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.
Grading Policy
There will be four lecture exams. Each test is worth a maximum of 100 points. The lowest grade will be dropped. If you miss a test for any reason, that will be the score dropped. There will be NO make-up tests. Each Tuesday, we will spend 10 - 15 minutes discussing “Tips & Tricks”. Each student will be required to present “Tips & Tricks” once during the semester. This presentation will be worth a maximum of 15 points. Completion of the Spatial Analyst Virtual Campus course will be worth 30 points. Completion of the Spatial Analyst tutorial exercises will be worth 15 points. There will be three lab projects worth a combined maximum of 100 points.
Grades will be based on the following:
Lecture exams 300 points
Tricks & Tips presentation 15 points
Completion of Virtual Campus Courses
30 points
Completion of tutorial exercises 15 points
Lab Projects 100 points
Total Points available 460
points
Final letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
A 414 to 460 points
B 368 to 413 points
C 322 to 367 points
D 276 to 321 points
F 0 to 275 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 middle of Spring Semester of 2009, or the
“I” will automatically be converted to an “F”.
Attendance Policy
Success in this class will depend on your commitment to the class. You are expected to attend every class unless an emergency keeps you from attending. You are responsible for any announcements made in class even if you were not in class that day. Students who miss lecture need to make their own arrangements to obtain related notes, handouts, or announcements, and need to hand in assignments (if there are any) on time.
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.
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 link under the big gold key.
Once you have activated your AcceID, log into Blackboard (http://acconline.austincc.edu). Follow the link to this course (GEOG 2471). If you are not familiar with Blackboard, go to http://itdl.austincc.edu/blackboard/ for online support help.
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.
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.
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; instead, you should use them as a
check of how well you know the material.
Academic Integrity
Students enrolled in this class are responsible for observing the policy on academic integrity described in the 2008-2009 ACC Student Handbook.
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 2008 session is Monday, November 24, 2008. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from the course if needed. The instructor will NOT withdraw students from the class once the student has started the class.
Lecture Schedule
The instructor reserves the
right to change the lecture schedule if necessary.
|
Subject |
Date |
|
Introduction/Review of
first course |
Aug 27 |
|
Spatial Analysis -
Introduction and Analyzing Surfaces |
Sept 3 |
|
Spatial Analysis – Map
Algebra |
Sept 10 |
|
Test 1/ Lab |
Sept 17 |
|
Spatial Analysis – Interpolating
Surfaces and Mapping Distance & Density |
Sept 24 & Oct 1 |
|
Spatial Analysis - Cell,
Neighborhood, & Zonal Statistics |
Oct 1 |
|
3D Analysis – Introduction and Analyzing Data |
Oct 8 |
|
Test 2/Lab |
Oct 15 |
|
3D Analysis – Creating 3D
Data & ArcGlobe |
Oct 22 |
|
Advanced Cartography |
Oct 29 & Nov 5 |
|
Test 3/Lab |
Nov 12 |
|
Geodatabases – Introduction
& Building on the Basics |
Nov 19 |
|
GIS Data sources |
Nov 26 |
|
Geodatabases - Subtypes
& Relationships and Geometric
Networks |
Dec 3 |
|
Test 4/ Project Presentations |
Dec 10 |