DIGI205-22S1 (C) Semester One 2022

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 21 February 2022
End Date: Sunday, 26 June 2022
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 6 March 2022
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 15 May 2022

Description

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide the tools for managing, analysing and presenting spatial information in an intuitive and graphical way. This course provides students with an introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and techniques of GIS. The course examines the use of geographic technology including global positioning systems as well as GIS. It also introduces you to the development of GIS and GPS software skills, including ArcView.

Nau mai ki GEOG205 & DIGI205 – welcome to GEOG205-DIGI205. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide the tools for managing, analysing, and presenting spatial information in an intuitive and graphical way. GEOG205-DIGI205 provides students with an introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles, and techniques of GIS. The course examines the use of geospatial technology including global positioning systems (GPS), geographical information systems, and aspects of remote sensing (RS). It also develops introductory GIS software skills using ArcGIS and ENVI. This year’s main contributors are Dr. Ioannis Delikostidis (ioannis.delikostidis@canterbury.ac.nz), Shanelle Dyer (Research Assistant and Senior Tutor, shanelle.dyer@canterbury.ac.nz) and Justin Harrison (Laboratory, Field and Equipment Technician, justin.harrison@canterbury.ac.nz).

GEOG205 is designed to build on the 100 level geography courses and to provide an applied introduction to geographic information systems. The course focuses on key concepts and methods in GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing. It will allow students to develop hands-on skills for handling and analysing geospatial data.

Please read this handout carefully as it will help to ensure that you succeed in the course. It contains basic information about how the course is structured, taught and assessed, what you are expected to do, and when you need to do it. If you have any problems or difficulties in the course, see your lab teaching assistants, lecturers or the GEOG205-DIGI205 coordinator.

Learning Outcomes

  • The aims of this course are to:
  • Provide an applied introduction to key technical concepts and methods used with GIS, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS).
  • examine and use data capture and analysis techniques with GIS, GPS and RS
  • develop hands-on skills using GIS and RS software
    After completing this course, we expect you to have gained the following:
  • an understanding of the key concepts in GIS, GPS, and RS
  • the ability to apply basic spatial analysis techniques to geographic data
  • hands-on skills using the technology and in particular to:
    - demonstrate practical use of GIS and RS software;
    - access and use digital geographic data;
    - produce digital map compositions which demonstrate sound cartographic principles; and
    - undertake basic fieldwork for geographic data collection
  • an awareness of the limitations of geographic technology

Prerequisites

Any 30 points at 100 level from the BA, BE (Hons), BSc or Bcom.

Restrictions

Timetable Note

23 hrs lectures (23 x 1 hour lectures)
30 hrs labs (10 x 3 hour labs)
97 hrs self-study and assignment work

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Ioannis Delikostidis

Lecturers

Shanelle Dyer and Justin Harrison

Assessment

Assessment name, Weighting, Due date
Ten lab online quizzes (labs 1-10), 10%, Due by 09:00, every Monday)
GPS exercise hand-ins (lab 1), 5%, Due 9 March
Cartography labs hand-ins (labs 2-4), 12%, Due 30 March
GIS Analysis I: Vector, Raster & Modelbuilder hand-ins (labs 5-7), 12%, Due 11 May
GIS Analysis II: 3D, RS & Interpolation hand-ins (labs 8-10), 12%, Due 1 June
Final (online, open book) exam, 50%, Due date tba

Textbooks / Resources

The recommended texts are:
1. Heywood, I., Cornelius, S., and Carver, S. (2011). An Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (4th ed.). Harlow: Prentice Hall (full text online).
2. Longley, P.A., Goodchild, M.F., Maguire, D.J., and Rhind, D.W. (2015).
Geographic Information Systems and Science (4th ed.) (full text online).

Supplementary readings which you are expected to read will be listed most weeks online.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $892.00

International fee $4,563.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Humanities .

All DIGI205 Occurrences

  • DIGI205-22S1 (C) Semester One 2022
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