GEOS 378 - Introduction to Geoinformatics


Course URL: https://anupma-prakash.github.io/teaching/geos378/index.html


Course Type:
Earth Systems Science
Course Summary
The aim of this course is to develop students' understanding, approach and technical skills in geospatial data acquisition, processing, analysis, management and visualization.

Course Context:

This course, offered spring semester of 2004 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has prerequisites: PHYS 104X or 212X, junior standing; or permission of instructor. There are 2 1-hour lectures and 1 3-hour lab per week.

Course Goals:

By the end of the course, students should be able to

  1. Know where to look for and find data, how to download it, and bring it to a useful format for their research or application.
  2. Use the basic functionalities of an Excel spreadsheet
  3. Acquire GPS measurements using portable hand held GPS devices
  4. Integrate GPS data with other GIS data
  5. Sync data from mobile GIS units to their desktop environment
  6. Plan a GIS project
  7. Build a GIS geodatabase for an application of their interest
  8. Analyze the GIS digital data using available software packages (such as ArcGIS)
  9. Make a good map using principles of cartography
  10. Appreciate the role and potential of geoinformatics in research and industry
  11. Discuss the advantages and limitation of the technology
  12. Demonstrate his/her understanding of the subject by completing a small independent project.

Course Content:

This course covers concepts such as aerial photography, satellite remote sensing, map projections, GIS, cartography and 3D visualization.

Teaching Materials:

The website contains links to:

  • The class schedule with lecture and lab topics
  • Lecture notes for the class (restricted access)

Assessment:

Grades will be computed as follows:

  • Class Participation and Homework - 25%
  • First Test - 15%
  • Second Test - 20%
  • Final Exam - 40%