Advanced technical, legal, ethical, and institutional problems related to data acquisition for geospatial information systems.

The purpose of this exercise is to get initial skills with QGIS. We will create a document containing a locus map and a site map for the Town of Hadley, MA. This exercise implies that you have covered the material in the section/module entitled QGIS Overview.

This course is organized around seven projects and a capstone assignment. Each project includes readings, quizzes, and discussions about concepts and tools in cartography and visualization. Throughout the course, students complete “mile marker” assignments that are designed to help them progress toward the capstone assignment. Through the course projects, students confront realistic problem scenarios that incorporate such skills and concepts as creating symbolization schemes, coordinate systems and map projections, creating isoline and other terrain representations, interpolation, classification schemes, multivariate representation and representation of data uncertainty. Those who successfully complete the course are able to design and produce effective reference and thematic maps using GIS software and can interpret and critique maps and related information graphics.

This subject explores the techniques, processes, and personal and professional skills required to effectively manage growth and land use change. While primarily focused on the planning practice in the United States, the principles and techniques reviewed and presented may have international application. This course is not for bystanders; it is designed for those who wish to become actively involved or exposed to the planning discipline and profession as it is practiced today, and as it may need to be practiced in the future.

This course combines a seminar format with fieldwork to examine strategies of planning and control for growth and land use, chiefly at the municipal level. Specific topics include growth and its local consequences; land use planning approaches; and implementation tools including innovative zoning and regulatory techniques, physical design, and natural systems integration. Projects are arranged with small teams serving municipal clients.

This course combines a seminar format with fieldwork to examine strategies of planning and control for growth and land use, chiefly at the municipal level. Specific topics include growth and its local consequences; land use planning approaches; and implementation tools including innovative zoning and regulatory techniques, physical design, and natural systems integration. Projects are arranged with small teams serving municipal clients.

This subject explores the techniques, processes, and personal and professional skills required to effectively manage growth and land use change. While primarily focused on the planning practice in the United States, the principles and techniques reviewed and presented may have international application. This course is not for bystanders; it is designed for those who wish to become actively involved or exposed to the planning discipline and profession as it is practiced today, and as it may need to be practiced in the future.

This course explores a variety of GIS software packages and some key concepts needed to evaluate them for different uses. The goal is not to make you an expert in each package, but rather to provide a context for evaluating GIS software. Ideally, by course's end you will be comfortable with the idea of evaluating or managing the evaluation of GIS software products for a specific purpose.

Conservation GIS applies geospatial problem solving to ecological research and resource management issues to enhance conservation planning. This course emphasizes the unique nature of each conservation problem and the multiple pathways that may result depending upon the geospatial techniques that are applied. Problem understanding is emphasized as a prerequisite to the application of the full range of possible geospatial techniques that could be used to unravel complex conservation challenges. Map making, a common thread when working with GIS, is only the beginning in this course and students will use the written word to describe the decision process that used to address each problem addressed in the course.

These videos support Penn State's fully online course on Conservation GIS, GEOG 587.

This graduate seminar is taught in a lecture and lab exercise format. The subject matter is tailored to introduce Environmental Engineering students to the use and potential of Geographic Information Systems in their discipline. Lectures will cover the general concepts of GIS use and introduce the material in the exercises, and exercises will introduce students to the practical application of GIS.

The release of toxins into the environment and the federal government's tracking of that using the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are the focus of this case study, which uses GIS to explore the potential impacts of the release of such substances. The case was developed for an introductory environmental studies course. It would also be appropriate for use in an introductory GIS course or cartography course where some analysis is required, an introductory chemistry course for non-majors (with some more prep work on partitioning coefficients and fate and transport), or a basic soils course where remediation techniques are emphasized. The case study requires ESRI's ArcView 3.3 software in a computer lab setting, although it could easily be adapted for use with ArcGIS 9.x.

Introduces techniques of geological field study. Weather permitting, several weekend field exercises provide practical experience in preparation for 12.115. Presents introductory material on the regional geology of the locale of 12.115. Description from the course home page: The course provides students with (1) an introduction to the geologic history of western North America, with particular emphasis on our field camp location and (2) an introduction to both digital and traditional techniques of geological field study. The weather permitting, several weekend field exercises provide practical experience in preparation for Field Geology II (12.115). It presents introductory material on the regional geology of the locale of 12.115.

In this lab, students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and augering techniques. Placing the lab context for use, this site provides learning goals and skills, equipment lists, teaching notes and materials, assessment recommendations, and links to further references and resources.

This website provides an overview of the GeoPad project, the software and hardware components of the unit, and a listing of publications, presentations, and case studies. The GeoPad is a TabletPC equipped with wireless networking, a portable GPS receiver, digital camera, microphone-headset, voice-recognition software, GIS software, and supporting, digital, geo-referenced data-sets. The unit allows scientists to go out in the field as a group or individually, collect GPS-referenced data and share the data instantaneously with each other and with data fusion "collaboratories" hundreds of miles away. It also provides on-demand access to the large database, data summarization and visualization resources at these distant centers to request site-specific information.

This course presents the principles of effective project management as applied to the design and implementation of geospatial information systems. Students will be able to: a) Describe what a project is, and the difference between a project, program and a product. b) Describe the constraints of projects. c) Describe project management and its profession. d) Describe the framework within which project management exists (stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools/techniques and portfolios). e) Explore factors unique to GIS project management.

The marine environment is unique and requires technologies that can use sound to gather information since there is little light underwater. The sea-floor is characterized using underwater sound and acoustical systems. Current technological innovations are allowing scientists to further understand and apply information about animal locations and habitat. Remote sensing and exploration with underwater vehicles allows scientists to map and understand the sea floor, and in some cases, the water column. In this lesson, the students will be shown benthic habitat images produced by GIS. These imaged will lead to a class discussion on why habitat mapping is useful and how current technology works to make bathymetry mapping possible. The teacher will then ask inquiry-based questions to have students brainstorm about the importance of bathymetry mapping.

This practicum subject integrates theory and practice through the design, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive community information infrastructure that promotes democratic involvement and informs community development projects. Students work with Lawrence Community Works, Inc. to involve constituents and generate solutions to an important planning problem in the City of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Final project presentations take place in a public forum, and serve to inform future development of the information infrastructure. Subject begins with an overview of the digital divide, e-government, public participation GIS, and neighborhood information systems. Subject includes a reflection component and a deliberate investigation of race, class, and gender dynamics.

Second of two modules facilitating a basic understanding of computing in planning and public management. Students develop problem-solving skills using computer-based tools for ``what-if'' analyses. Emphasis on spatial analysis using geographic information systems and database query tools.