Overview:  This course is designed to demonstrate interdisciplinary features in Geographic Information Systems (GISystems), which involves geography, cartography, computer science, GPS, and remote sensing.  The lectures and lab exercises will provide an introductory knowledge of GIScience and a balance among spatial analysis theory, computer technology, and GISystems techniques. Students will learn how to get spatial data into the computer, to organize data so that spatial patterns can be explored, and to learn basic GIS concepts such as query and map overlay.  In addition to the basic training of GIS software and techniques, this class will enable students to:

1.     Communicate with GIS professionals regarding both theoretical and technical issues.

2.     Work in groups to conduct GIS projects, which reflects current GIS industry tasks.

3.     Have critical thinking capability, exanimate various geography problems by using GIS tools.

Prerequisites:  Three units from Geography 104, 380, 381, 488, or from computer programming.  Students should have basic understanding of Cartography or some experiences in using computer software.

Required Textbooks:

�       Longley, Paul A., Goodchild, Michael F., Maguire, David J., and David W. Rhind.  (2010)  Geographic Information Systems and Science (Third Edition), John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. (This is the same textbook adopted for GEOG104, if you already have the textbook for 104, you don�t need to buy another).

Additional reading and lecture notes will be available from the Blackboard Course Reading folder.

Lectures:  Lecture sessions emphasize the principles and concepts of GISystems, including spatial analysis theory, GIS operations, and computer technology.

Labs Exercise:  Students must attend all lab sessions. Lab exercises focus on the training of GISystems skills, combining ArcGIS on-line help tutorials, ESRI Virtual Campus courses and customized local community projects.  Students are required to attend all lab sessions and complete all labs to receive a passing grade.  To encourage good attendance, students must sign-in for each lab session.  Two points will be taken off the whole course final grade for each missed lab.  Lab assignments are due at the beginning of the next lab session.  Late assignments will be docked 20% per day, beginning effective on the due date. The maximum late deduction is 70%.  Students must hand in all assignments by 5PM on May 13 (Friday), 2011 to receive a passing grade regardless of how many points have been docked.

Grading:         Class participation (lectures): 5%;  Lab exercises: 40%; 

                        Focus Group Presentation 10%,       Midterm Exam: 20%;          

                        Final project: 25%

A level (A and A-): above 90 points.             B level (B+, B, B-): 80 � 89.

C level (C+, C, C-): 70 � 79.                          D level (D+, D, D-): 60 � 69.

F: below 60.

Focus Group Discussion and Presentation (10%).

3-4 students will form a focus group for a specific GIS scenario or topic.  Each group will represent different key players in the scenario and brainstorm the best practice and solution for the GIS scenario. Each group will make a final presentation (Eight minutes for each group + Two minutes Q&A) on March 2 (Wednesday) during the class by all members from the focus group.  Focus groups can utilize the ESRI on-line mapping tools, PowerPoint, or the additional presentation resource from the ArcGIS Explorer Online during the group presentation.

Final Project  (25%).

3-4 students will form a �project team� after the mid-term exam, and choose a possible GIS research topic.  Each team will present the proposal on April 4 (5 minutes) and select a team coordinator, who will coordinate the work plan of the GIS project. Each team will report their progress each week after the mid-term exam.  On May 9 (Monday) each team has to present the GIS project in front of the class as the final exam and then submit GIS project reports in paper format.  The paper should include two parts:

Group report (10-15 pages, double space), Individual report (3-5 pages, double space):

Detail descriptions of Final project will be mentioned later before the mid-term exam. 

Additional Readings: (in the Blackboard course site  [Readings] folder).

1.           Coppock, J. T., & Rhind, D. W. (1991). The History of GIS. In D. J. Maguire, M. F. Goodchild, & D. W. Rhind (editors), Geographical Information Systems: Principles and Applications (Vol. 1). Harlow, U.K.: Longman Group. pp. 21-43.

2.           Goodchild, M. F. (1990). Keynote Address: Spatial Information Science. In Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling, Zurich, Switzerland. pp. 3-12.

3.           Steinitz, C., Parker, P., & Jordon, L. (1976). Hand-Draw Overlays: Their History and Prospective Use. Landscape Architecture, September, pp. 444-445.

4.      Tsou, Ming-Hsiang (2009). Chapter 48: The Integration of Internet GIS and Wireless Mobile GIS. In Manual of Geographic Information Systems, edited by Marguerite Madden, published by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), pp. 923-933.

         Week                  Lecture                          Reading                     Lab Exercise