Online GIS Course at Sinte Gleska University

Lakota Studies 400/600: Special Topics: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Science

This course was originally created for an accredited course at SGU. The course is not currently being offered for credit, but the data, readings, and lessons are maintained and improved on this site. Although you will not receive credit for taking this course, you are welcome to take the course to further your own GIS education. Feedback on any parts of the course are appreciated.

Each unit is designed to take approximately two weeks. During the course, you will examine a variety of data sets from local to global, using spatial information and spatial analysis to make an informed decision. Themes include natural hazards, imagery, demography, retailing, and others. The course is designed to be completed over two semesters for a total of 30 weeks.

The lessons are available with ArcView 3 instructions. ArcGIS instructions are being created during Spring 2004.

1. To understand the principles, applications, trends, and pertinent issues of geographic information systems and sciences, including remote sensing (RS), cartography, geography, and global positioning systems (GPS).

3. To increase proficiency in communicating objectives and results of research and production conducted with geographic information systems.

4. To understand how to obtain and analyze data such as that focused on watersheds, population, cultural resources, terrain, natural hazards, land cover, and land ownership.

5. To gain an understanding of how to manipulate and apply vector and raster spatial data, particularly with regard to Native American issues, emphasizing lands in and near the Rosebud Sioux region of South Dakota.

Each week, check this web page. Visit the links at the left, starting with the "notes." Read the notes, followed by the assignment, followed by the lab. The labs can be completed by highlighting the entire page with your cursor, copying it to the Windows clipboard (with control-c), and pasting it (with control-v) to WordPad or your favorite word processor. Fill in your answers and email me the entire document.

This is YOUR course, so please give me comments throughout the semester so that I can best meet your needs.

The 2 books for this course are below. I have selected these trusting that they will be a good investment that will serve you in your GIS journey for years to come.

1. Ormsby, Tim, Eileen Napoleon, and Pat Breslin. 2000. Getting to Know ArcView GIS. ISBN: 1-879102-46-3. 1998. 660p.

2. Longley, Paul A., Michael Goodchild, David J. Maguire, David W. Rhind, and Joe Lobley. 2001. Geographic Information Systems and Science. John Wiley & Sons: ISBN: 0471892750; 454 p.

This is a hands-on class. A series of laboratory exercises in ArcView GIS will provide hands-on experience and enhance understanding of reading material.

Two exams will be given in the course, at approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the course.

Each student is expected to review 5 journal articles on the application of GIS to a specific problem or issue and write an annotated bibliography on each. Each bibliography should include the full citation reference and a summary of the relevant points. Each should be no longer than one double-spaced, printed page. The 5 bibliographies should address a single profession, problem, or discipline where GIS is applied. One bibliography will be collected each week. A condensed version of these bibliographies will form the literature review section of the final project.

Each student (or team of 2-3 students) is expected to conduct a research project, emphasizing the application of GIS technology to a real-world problem. Select something that you are interested in! A brief proposal of this research project will be required midway through the semester, and the project will be due the last week of class. The research project should include the following components: Statement of the problem, previous research on the problem (with references cited), how you will use GIS to address the problem, data sets you will need, methods that you will use, and what you desired goals and outcomes are. The project is a statement of intent on what you will do with GIS. You are not expected to carry out your methods and data gathering. However, your project should be detailed enough so that you could give your paper to another individual, and that individual would know enough about your problem and methods to carry out your plan.

Section	Notes	Themes Explored	Readings and Assignments	Lab Exercises
1	What is GIS?	Native American Applications of GIS World Demography	How GIS Affects Our Everyday Lives. www.gis.com www.geographynetwork.com	Unit 1
2	Geographic Inquiry	Earthquakes Everyday	. Aboriginal Mapping Network and Intertribal GIS Council Longley, Chapter 1	Unit 2 Unit 1 Due
3	Data Quality	20th Century USA Population Change	Longley, Chapter 3	Unit 3 Unit 2 Due
4	Representing the Earth in a GIS	USA Tornado Analysis	Longley, Chapter 4 Bibliography 1 Due	Unit 4 Unit 3 Due
5	Data input and output	Stipa Comata (needle grass) site selection	Longley Chapter 5 Bibliography 2 Due	Unit 5 Unit 4 Due
6	Core Analytical Functions Exam	Watershed Analysis	Longley Chapter 6 Bibliography 3 Due	Unit 6 Unit 5 Due
7	Coordinate Systems	Local Demography	Longley Chapter 7 Bibliography 4 Due	Unit 7 Unit 6 Due
8	Datums	Downloading imagery; digitizing	Longley Chapter 8 Bibliography 5 Due	Unit 8 Unit 7 Due
9	The Internet and GIS	Registering Imagery	Longley Chapter 9 Research Project Proposal Due	Unit 9 Unit 8 Due
10	Implementing a GIS; organizational issues;	Locating a Fire Tower Using Overlay and Proximity Analysis	Longley Chapter 10 Work on research projects	Unit 10 Unit 9 Due
11	Implementing a GIS; Organizational issues;		Longley Chapter 11 Work on research projects	Unit 10 Unit 9 Due
12	Raster-based analysis		Longley Chapter 12 Work on research projects	Unit 10 Due
13	Three dimensional analysis		Longley Chapter 13 Work on research projects
14	The Future of GIS		Longley Chapter 14 Work on research projects
15	Furthering my GIS Education		Research Projects Due

Exam