Introduction to GIS: Focus on Earth
Jonathon Little
, jlittle@monroecc.edu
Monroe Community College
a Two Year College
.Summary
Please see uploaded syllabus.
15-30
Course Context:
This is an introductory course with no pre-requisites and does not serve as a prerequisite for other courses. Typically, 50% of the students take the course as pre-geoscience majors, and 50% of the students take the course to satisfy a general education requirement.
Course Goals:
Students should be able to explain the Geographic perspective and discuss why geography is fundamental to understanding sustainability and our environment.
Students should be able to obtain, organize, analyze, synthesis, represent, interpret, communicate, and evaluate data using GIS.
Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of how environmental, energy, or transportation problems can be solved by GIS.
Students should be able to explain the geography of solar energy, temperature, wind, and weather hazards (e.g., hurricanes and tornadoes) across the United States.
Students should be able to recall and summarize the basic components of global climate and anthropogenic climate change.
Students should be able to provide examples of transportation networks and viable transportation options in large and mid-size cities across the United States.
Students should be able to describe sustainable agricultural practices across the United States.
Students should be able to list and describe non renewable and renewable energy sources across the United States from a geographic perspective.
Students should be able to explain why certain energy sources are most suitable for certain areas of the United States.
Students should be able to describe the current climatic condition, recent climate changes, effectively communicate an environmental issue, and present an environmental, energy, or transportation plan for a geographic region.
Students should be able to obtain, organize, analyze, synthesis, represent, interpret, communicate, and evaluate data using GIS.
Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of how environmental, energy, or transportation problems can be solved by GIS.
Students should be able to explain the geography of solar energy, temperature, wind, and weather hazards (e.g., hurricanes and tornadoes) across the United States.
Students should be able to recall and summarize the basic components of global climate and anthropogenic climate change.
Students should be able to provide examples of transportation networks and viable transportation options in large and mid-size cities across the United States.
Students should be able to describe sustainable agricultural practices across the United States.
Students should be able to list and describe non renewable and renewable energy sources across the United States from a geographic perspective.
Students should be able to explain why certain energy sources are most suitable for certain areas of the United States.
Students should be able to describe the current climatic condition, recent climate changes, effectively communicate an environmental issue, and present an environmental, energy, or transportation plan for a geographic region.
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
The sourse initially provides short activities and 5 labs to go over GIS basis. Students then learn about various topics while using GIS. Students complete a project that requries the use of many of the tools learned in the class. The project is assigned using a rubric. The labs are assigned based on point values assigned on the lab.
Skills Goals
N/A
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
N/A
Attitudinal Goals
Developing students' sense of stewardship of the Earth.
Building students' confidence in course- or discipline-related abilities
Building students' confidence in course- or discipline-related abilities
How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
N/A
Assessment
Project rubric. I will attach this in the case study vignette.
Syllabus:
Syllabus (Microsoft Word 87kB May27 10)