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Integrating Geographic Information Systems
(GIS)into your Curriculum
Teaching American HistoryMeg Merrick & Heather Kaplinger
Year 2 GIS Inservices
Today:
• What is GIS?• Methods of Inquiry & Problem Solving
Process
• Discuss Geographic Data
• Classifying & Displaying Data
• Familiarization with RLIS Data• Working with Arc View
& Create a Data Driven Map
• Work in Groups & Present a Map
What is Geographic Information Science?
"An emerging field of knowledge that embraces the nature, representation, acquisition, analysis, discussion, and communication of geographic or geospatial data in a computational environment."
-- UCGIS (University Consortium for Geographic Information Science)
Geospatial Data
• Spatial (positional data) that has been georeferenced, or relates to a geographic coordinate system (such as latitude & longitude)
How do we get this type of data ?
Create the Digital Earth
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Examples of Geospatial Data
• Climatological• Satellite imagery• Aerial photos• Public lands
(surveying)
Advantages of geospatial data:
• Position is inherent… we have the WHERE
• Can be used to address geographic problems
Challenges of geospatial data:
• Complex data sets• Large data sets• Usually requires
computers
Things To Think About When Approaching A Geospatial Question:
•Nature of the data used to used to understand the phenomena
•Information the data provides
•Method used to analyze data
•Method used to display the results
•What tools can be utilized
Inquiry
• Traditional Approaches• Problem Solving Process• Geographic Data• Classifications of data• ArcView Legend Schemes• Geographic Concepts
Traditional Approaches
• Deductive
• Inductive
the deriving of a conclusion by reasoning
inference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances
Other Approaches
• Quantitative– Measuring a phenomena mathematically– Count, amount, or number– Estimations– Totals– Measurable: greater / less / equal– Duration and intensity
Other Approaches…..
• QualitativeDescribing a phenomena
• the nature of phenomena• its characteristics • its rank
Problem Solving Process
1. Identify the problem
2. Collect data to solve the problem
3. Explore the data
4. Analyze the data
5. Evaluate the results
6. Present the results
Geographic Data
• Discrete & Continuous
• Raster & Vector
• Point, Line, Area, Volume
Discrete Data: …the actual location can be specified
Line
Point
Parcel (Polygon)
Continuous Data
… phenomenon that can be measured anywhere
Soils Data
Elevation Data
Data Formats
• Raster
• Vector
• Tables
RasterData is stored in a grid file structure
associated with continuous data
LinePoint Polygon
Vector:
Data is stored in discrete structures
Table Data
Most common data format for data not collected geospatially; such as census (demographic), gross domestic product (economic), voting (political), toxic chemical releases (environmental), etc…
…the lists is endless on what data is collected on.
Table Data a.k.a The SPREADSHEET
Classification of Data
• Nominal• Ordinal• Interval• Ratio
NominalThe data is named
Ordinal (< , >)The data has been ranked into ordered categories, ranges, and relationships (orders & ranks)
Interval (+, -, average)The data has an equal distance between categories. There are numeric values with and arbitrary zero – In other words this measurement level is used to organize features along a continuum
Ratio (Multiply & Divide)The data is set at an interval with a true zero. In other words it is this is a how you display a percentage such as: population density.
ArcView Legend Schemes
• Single Symbol• Graduated Color• Unique Value• Dot• Chart
Single Symbol
Graduated Color
Unique Value
Dot
Chart
Geographic Concepts
• Most / Least• Density• Inside / Outside• What’s Nearby• Change
Most / Least
Density
Inside / Outside
• Identify the problem is GEOGRAPHIC in nature
Geographic Problem Solving
• Collect the GEOGRAPHIC data to solve the problem
• Explore the data using GEOGRAPHIC VISUALIZATION AND SPATIAL DATA EXPLORATION
• Analyze the data using SPATIAL ANALYSIS
• Present the results using CARTOGRAPHY
AS A GROUP• List the properties that are common to the
project• List the properties that are different
DISCUSS• The geographic nature of the problem• Data needed to answer – what do you
already have in terms of data sets that applies to your question?
• Analysis needed to answer the problem – refer to geographic concepts
• Method for presenting the results