Course Competencies
1. Students will understand the theoretical underpinnings of
GIScience as a discipline in support of geographic analysis.
2. Students will have practical working knowledge of one GIS software package, ESRI’s
ArcGIS, using a variety of datasets in multiple contexts for geographic analysis (natural hazards, social geography issues of housing affordability, environmental impact assessments).
3. Students will understand the ethical implications of
GIScience analysis inherent in issues of data quality, validity, reliability and biases in GIS processing and display.
4. Students will be able to critically assess products that result from GIS analysis.
6. Students will learn how to work in teams to explore with
GIS real world geographic analysis.
7. Students will develop an eportfolio which serves as a repository for structured reflection on their learning and
Lecture Learning Objectives
Introduction to Course
W1 (1/2 lecture S9)
1. Define Geographic Information Science (GIS)
W1 W2 (2 ½ lectures ½ 9, 14, 16) a) Explain how GIS is used in our day to day lives. b) Explain how GIS answers questions of geography (location, patterns, trends, conditions and implications) thereby providing examples of GIS analysis c) List and describe the components of a GIS (Hardware, software, data, processes, people) d) Explain the difference between Geographic Information
Science and Geographic Information Systems.
2. Understand how the Real World (lakes, people, cities, streets, ethnicity, houses, watersheds, shipping routes) is
Converted into Digital Geographic Data to be used for geographic analysis.
W3 W4 ½ W5 (5 lectures 23, 28, 30, O5, 7, ) a) Define Spatial Data

Define Geographic coordinate systems o describe latitude and longitude and how these coordinates are represented in the GIS o describe UTM coordinates and how these

 coordinates are represented in the GIS

Define geographic datums o WGS1984 vs NAD83 (NAD27)
Describe map scale; large scale data and small scale datasets understand the implications of scale with respect to geographic analysis

Define map projections
Lab
No Lab
W1
W2 1 week lab
Part 1 GIS Applications
1.
Explore GIS applications posted on the internet
2.
Describe spatial data and geographic analysis for GIS map
3.
Discuss data integrity and ethical implications for GIS map
Part 2 GIS software
1.
Demonstrate basic use of GIS software ArcGIS by completing the Introduction to ArcGIS on-line tutorial from ESRI: a) display map features b) add data to your map c) manipulate data tables d) create a map (layout) e) save your map and associated data files
2. Spatial Data:
W3, W4 2 week lab
Part 1 Learn more about how data is stored and managed in ArcGIS software
Part 2 Working with Spatial Data:
Coordinate systems, projections, scale, raster, vector
- Download data for City of Vancouver: compare metadata, geographic datums, geographic coordinate systems, map projections
- discussion of spatial accuracy? Scale?

can be repurposed for a job search or graduate school application.
 explain how to construct geometric map projections: azimuthal, conical and cylindrical
 compare and contrast map projections with respect to distortion
 define common map projections used in BC

Define spatial data accuracy, precision and error o understand implications of spatial data accuracy and precision with respect to geographic analysis b) Describe Spatial Data Models

Explain how geographic features (roads, rivers, lakes, cities) are represented in a GIS
Define entities: point, line and area

Define vector data
explain representation and resolution of points, lines and areas
define topology and describe its foundation to GIS analysis
list uses of vector data for GIS applications

Define raster data
explain representation and resolution of grids and pixels of raster data
list uses of raster data for GIS applications

Compare and contrast raster and vector data in terms of representation, resolution and analysis c) Describe Spatial Data Input

List and explain methods for entering spatial data
(coordinates) into the GIS: digitizing, scanning, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), conversion software, survey instruments

Data formats: shapefiles, geodatabases, grids, GeoTIFF… etc.
 d) Define tabular data
½ W5 [W6 holiday and Midterm ] ½ W7 ( lectures 7, 19)

Explain and give examples of nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio; quantitative and qualitative data

Define and compare tables, databases and Relational
DataBase Management Systems (RDBMS)
Part 3 Mt St Helen’s: Spatial Data Models Raster and
Vector Data
- look at Mt St Helens, use Landsat satellite raster data to describe before and after volcanic eruption
- measure differences in lake before and after, raster and vector area
- contrast and compare raster and vector data sets wrt scale, resolution, application, accuracy
(2 weeks 28, O5 week 4,5)
Spatial Analysis, Tables, Editing
W 5 http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/sea-level-rise-isaccelerating-1.3070635


Explain relationships between spatial and tabular data

Explain how relates and joins of tables made possible by
RDBMSs
Part 1: Prepare Data for Geographic Analysis
1.
create Geodatabases as a Geographic Analysis workspace
2.
review spatial data characteristics (datums, coordinate systems, projections)
Part 2: Perform Basic Geographic Analysis to determine areas for possible Tsunami
1.
perform buffer proximity analysis
2.
reclassify raster layers
3.
convert raster to vector data files
4.
modify attributes tables by adding fields and calculating new values
5.
combine vector data layers with polygon overlay tool intersect
Part 3: Performing Geographic Analysis to Extract
Vancouver Data affected by possible Tsunami
1.
combine vector data layers with polygon overlay tool intersect
2.
perform proximity analysis select by location
3.
extract data sets with polygon overly tool clip
Part 4 Calculate statistics (araes, length) of Vancouver landuse and roads affecting by potential tsunami
1.
create summary tables by area of landuse
2.
create lists of facilities affected
3.
create summary tables of road infrastructure affected
Part 5: Add layer of potential signage points
1.
Learn how to create a new feature class, explaining the different types (point, multipoint, etc…)
2.
Introduce basic editing of features and tables
(change values on individual table cells, modification/creation/deletion of features)
3.
Introducing to concept of snapping parameters for more accurate positioning of new features
( W6 no lab – midterm )

3. Geographic Analysis I: with Census Data: Classify and
Visualize Census Tabular data for Housing Affordability
½ W7 (1 lecture 21) a) Define Census Data: spatial geography and tabular tables b) Define and explain 3 methods of data classification: natural breaks, equal interval, and standard deviation c) Describe methods used to symbolize quantitative and qualitative data using colour dimensions of hue, value and chroma d) Understand Basic Map Visualization: Define map elements
(scale, border, orientation, graticule, legend, title) and understand their application in producing a map
4. Geographic Analysis II: for Environment Impact Assessment
W8 W9 ½ W10 (1/2 W10 holiday) (5 lectures 26, 28, N2, 4, 9, 11 holiday) a) Demonstrate how to calculate areas of polygons and lengths of lines in a GIS (review, done in lab2) b) Perform queries of spatial databases - review, done in lab 4 c) Neighbour Analysis:

Buffer: Demonstrate how to buffer spatial data; for example,
W7 W8 (2 weeks)
Part 1 Developing a working knowledge of Canadian
Census Data
Part 2: Understanding Quantitative Data Classification
Part 3: Working with Ratios to compare datasets
Part 4: Creating Maps of GIS Analysis results http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britishcolumbia/vancouver-s-housing-2nd-least-affordable-inworld-1.2505524
5. EIA example for geographic analysis
W9 W10 (2 weeks)
- resort development Squamish – proposed ski hill
- map algebra, polygon overlay, geographic analysis
- download data (DataBC, Hectares BC, City of Vancouver,
Geogratis)
- build geodatabase
- conduct analysis

how to buffer rivers to delineate riparian management zones

Select by Location (review, lab3) d) Describe and illustrate how to combine spatial layers of data for environmental impact assessment analysis

Understand Boolean logic; demonstrate with VENN diagrams

Be able to explain how new map layers are created through map algebra

Compare and contrast the difference between union, intersect and erase e) Understand how 3D surfaces are utilized in GIS analysis
W11 (2 lectures, 16, 18) f) Geographic Analysis Case Studies
W12 ½ (1 lecture) g) Geographic Analysis Processes: Using a diagram (flow chart) illustrate the geographic analysis procedures, and flow of data, in a GIS application
5. GIS Visualization
W12 ½ (1 lecture)
6. Understand implications of using a GIS
(2 lectures 25, 30) a) Identify sources of error and demonstrate how error can be mitigated b) Discuss ethical implications of using GIS: data privacy and confidentiality, minimizing error, best practices for data representation; VGI
Course Summary
(1 lecture D2)
- present results
6. Final summary lab
W11 W12 W13 (3 weeks)
Class project: determining actual farmable land in ALR for all of BC, students work in groups for a section of BC.
- (3 weeks N11,23,30 week 11, 12, 13)