A syllabus for teaching geographical information systems

Healey, Richard; Unwin, David; Blakemore, Michael; Dale, Penny; Jackson, MG; Maguire, David; Martin, David; Mounsey, Helen; Willis, Jana

doi:10.1080/02693799008941559

Cited by 43 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The early 1990s also witnessed efforts to generate inventories of topics important for introductory GIS courses (Unwin et al, ; Wikle, ), along with calls for more robust sequencing of GIS education and training (Kemp et al, ). For example, the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) developed and distributed lecture notes and laboratory exercises known as the “Core Curriculum,” to address the need for educational materials for use in classroom instruction (Kemp & Goodchild, ).…”

Section: Gisandt Textbook Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the anatomy of Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) textbooks

Frazier

Wikle

Kedron

2017

Transactions in GIS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Choosing a textbook is among the most important decisions instructors make in preparation for an academic term. Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) textbook development has been influenced by a unique set of circumstances, mainly the rapid development of the discipline within an interdisciplinary environment, which has resulted in a continuous state of evolution. We examine the anatomy of GIS&T textbooks through a comparison of their organization, content, and depth of coverage. Specifically, utilizing the Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge (BoK) as a comprehensive reference, we categorize the content of 26 of the most widely used introductory GIS textbooks.Our results show that there has been consistent coverage of topics over time, with analytical methods and geospatial data being the most prominent topics covered in texts. However, individual textbooks place varying emphasis on the BoK knowledge areas, which is potentially useful to instructors seeking books that emphasize particular knowledge areas. Additionally, long-term trends indicate a shift toward an emphasis on new forms of geospatial data (e.g., social media). Ongoing efforts to expand and revise the BoK reflect how the discipline continues to manage its own evolution as new geographic research linked to GIS and GIScience emerges. | I NTR OD U CTI ONChoosing a textbook can be among the most important decisions that Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) instructors make in preparation for an academic term. Instructors rely on textbooks to provide a conceptual foundation and common experience that prepares students for lectures, class discussions, and laboratory sessions.Textbooks supplement and support learning objectives by facilitating an exploration of ideas and concepts that is not possible within the limits imposed by class meeting times. As portable resources for self-paced learning, textbooks are among the most important pedagogical tools used in teaching. At the same time, textbooks play roles beyond helping students understand concepts and principles by serving as a medium through which research is conveyed to future practitioners. Because of their ubiquity, textbooks shape outside perceptions of academic fields by offering ". . .stability Transactions in GIS. 2018;22:165-182.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/tgis

show abstract

Section: Gisandt Textbook Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the anatomy of Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) textbooks

Frazier

Wikle

Kedron

2017

Transactions in GIS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The various attempts to define the intellectual core of a discipline of GIS, laid out in the form of a model curriculum, represent the archetype of the content-focused mode of instruction. The Core Curriculum now represents the de facto standard of the model curricula approach, and although others have produced similar models, most exist as alternatives or complements to the NCGIA Core (see Nyerges and Chrisman 1989;Unwin et al 1990;Rogerson 1992;Kemp and Frank 1996). Originally published in 1990, the current version consists of nearly 200 topic units, each written by prominent GIS scholars from across the world, covering the substantive foundations of GIS as both a science and a technology (see Table 2).…”

Section: ᭤ Gis Instruction: Existing Modes and Their Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repackaging the Revolution

Montagu

2001

Journal of Planning Education and Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

P lanning's "quiet revolution" in information technology (Godschalk and McMahon, 1992) may have finally come of age. Through the decade of the 1990s, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has evolved from a technological novelty distinguished by its operational complexities into a much easier to use, less expensive, and now seemingly indispensible tool of the planning profession. GIS skills that were once the special province of a select few are now an almost essential requirement for both current and prospective planning professionals.The evolution of the technology and this change in its revolutionary profile provide an opportunity for the reassessment of both the motivations and the methods of GIS instruction within planning programs. As the complexities of GIS technology continue to diminish, important substantive learning objectives that were once buried under the technology finally stand a chance of becoming the focal point of the instructional process, pushing GIS instruction beyond simple explanations of how toward a deeper understanding of why.This article explores the issues associated with reconstituting the nature and content of GIS instruction into a form matched to the pedagogical goal of planning education: helping students develop into informed, sophisticated planning professionals, savvy in the application and limitations of GIS as a tool of their profession. Whereas Drummond (1995) suggested that the crucial question for planning education is "how to integrate GIS technology into the traditional substantive areas of the (nonmethods) planning curriculum" (p. 280), I suggest that we can also do much more to integrate the substance of planning into the existing modes of GIS instruction. The account that I present draws on my own experiences in attempting to reshape the instructional emphasis of my teaching into a more "planning-relevant" form, discussing the issues and opportunities that I have encountered along the way.The article is presented in three parts. First, I survey the broad terrain of GIS pedagogy to reveal the form and nature of the prevailing modes of GIS instruction. GIS educators are fortunate in that the pedagogy of GIS is not only a subject of much interest across many disciplines but is also an apparent concern of the vendors that produce GIS software. As a result, educators have a wide array of instruction-related materials AbstractThis article explores the pedagogical issues associated with reconstructing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) instruction into a form more directly linked to the substantive heart of the planning discipline. It surveys the broad terrain of GIS pedagogy and reviews the fit of prevailing instructional modes with the pedagogical mission of planning. Drawing on the insights gained from this review, the article then discusses the key design challenges planning educators must confront to repackage GIS instruction into a more planning-relevant form. Outlining changes the author has made to his own classes, he demonstrates one form that this type of instruc...

show abstract

“…In the UK, a particularly influential curriculum project report was initiated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors through the AutoCarte Education Trust; its principal aim was to provide GIS lecturers with guidance on curriculum scope and content (Unwin & Others, 1990). In the USA, the National Centre for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA, 1997) published its core curriculum guidance, which was some years later up-dated in the Geographical Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge project (DiBiase et al, 2006).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Student perspectives on the teaching of geographical information systems (GIS) in geography degrees

Şeremet

Chalkley

2014

Journal of Geography in Higher Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In an era when graduate employability is a key concern, the teaching of geographical information systems (GIS) has become a subject of considerable interest. This paper reports on a study of the GIS student learning experience using student survey data from six UK geography undergraduate programmes. The findings show that although students' satisfaction levels are generally encouraging, more could be done to capitalize on the opportunities GIS offers both for the discipline and for our students. Recommendations are made for further enhancing the profile and quality of GIS pedagogy in geography curricula.

show abstract

A syllabus for teaching geographical information systems

Cited by 43 publications

References 6 publications

Exploring the anatomy of Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) textbooks

Exploring the anatomy of Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) textbooks

Repackaging the Revolution

Student perspectives on the teaching of geographical information systems (GIS) in geography degrees

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About