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GIS Course at Sinte Gleska University

Click on the Links Below to Access Course Notes, Laboratory Exercises, Tests, and Assignments


Unit 1


Notes:  What is GIS?


Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Investigating World Demography Using GIS- ArcView 3 Version

Lab Exercise:  Investigating World Demography Using GIS - Answer Key


Unit 2

Notes:  Geographic Inquiry

Assignment 

Lab Exercise:  Earthquakes Everyday:  Exploring World Earthquakes with GIS

Lab Exercise:  Earthquakes Everyday:  Exploring World Earthquakes with GIS - Answer Key


Unit 3

Notes:  Data Quality

Assignment 


Unit 4

Notes:  Representing Earth Features in a GIS 

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Analyzing Tornadoes Across the USA with GIS

Lab Exercise:  Analyzing Tornadoes Across the USA with GIS - Answer Key


Unit 5

Notes:  Data Input and Output

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Locating Study Sites for Stipa Comata Using GIS 

Lab Exercise:  Locating Study Sites for Stipa Comata Using GIS - Answer Key


Unit 6

Notes:  Core Analytical GIS Functions

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Analyzing Watersheds with GIS

Lab Exercise:  Analyzing Watersheds with GIS - Answer Key


Unit 7

Notes:  Coordinate Systems

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Examining Local Demographics with GIS

Lab Exercise:  Examining Local Demographics with GIS - Answer Key


Unit 8

Notes:  Datums

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Downloading Images and Digitizing Features Using GIS

Lab Exercise:  Downloading Images and Digitizing Features Using GIS - Answer Key


Unit 9

Notes:  Internet and GIS

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Registering and Using Imagery within a GIS

Lab Exercise:  Registering and Using Imagery within a GIS- Answer Key


Unit 10

Notes:  Summary of GIS

Assignment

Lab Exercise:  Locating a Fire Tower Using GIS

Lab Exercise:  Locating a Fire Tower Using GIS - Answer Key

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

Photograph of sign at entrance to Rosebud Sioux tribal lands

 

 

 

 

 

 

This course was originally created for an accredited course at Sinte Gleska University (SGU).  The course is not currently being offered for credit, but the data, readings, and lessons are maintained 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.  

Rosebud Sioux landscape

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 in progress and will be posted on http://www.esri.com/arclessons.

Site Creator and Instructor:

Dr. Joseph J. Kerski
Geographer:  Education/GIS
USGS
Box 25046 - MS 507
Denver CO  80225-0046  USA 
Tel 303-202-4315
Fax 303-202-4137
jjkerski @ usgs.gov

Objectives

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).

2. To become competent in solving problems with spatial analysis by using geographic information systems software (ArcView 3.2 from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI Inc.).

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.

How to Complete the Course 

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.

Note

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

Required Text and Supplies

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.

Software Used During This Course

ArcView version 3.3, ESRI.
Spatial Analyst, ESRI
3D Analyst, ESRI
Internet Explorer or other web browser
Winzip 

Additional Readings

Journal articles and other readings as assigned.

Labs

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.

Exams

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

Annotated Bibliography

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. 

Research 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.

Grading

Exam  - 20 %
Lab exercises - 40 %  
Assignments on Readings - 10%
Annotated Bibliographies  - 10%
Research Project   - 20%

Selected skills we will cover in the course

File  and data management  
Selecting features and attributes
Querying features and attributes
Joining tabular information
Downloading data from the Internet and formatting it for use within a GIS
Collecting and using GPS coordinates
Hotlinking photographs to maps
Downloading and analyzing demographic data and TIGER files
Geocoding Addresses
Projecting Data
Registering Imagery
Buffering and merging spatial data sets
Overlaying Spatial Data
Manipulating spatial data to make an informed decision  
Creating and analyzing isoline data and digital elevation models

 Schedule – Subject To Adjustment Based on Students’ Needs  

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  

 

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