GISC 1421: Introduction to Raster-Based
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

70621Lec 001 – Professor Sally Holl, M.S.

Class Meets

Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00 to 7:40 PM at Northridge Campus, Building 3000, Room 3207.

Contact Information

Sally Holl is the instructor for Intro to Raster-Based GIS. Formerly a Geographer at the USGS, she has 20 years’ experience in GIS, project management, earth sciences, and education. She has extensive experience building infrastructure, GIS software tools, and international partnerships to improve access to environmental geospatial information.  Her specializations within raster-based GIS are surface water and the global energy and water budgets. She participated in the NASA-USDA experiments to validate remotely sensed soil moisture measurements using microwave radiometry.  She also used remotely sensed environmental observations to validate a global climate model for Goddard Space Flight Center. Ms. Holl was invited to speak for the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s first visit to USGS headquarters. She earned an M.S. from UT Austin, a B.A. from Oberlin College, and a Secondary Science Education Teaching Certificate from Cal State Fullerton.

Professor Holl’s contact information is as follows: 

Sally Holl, Associate Professor

ACC Northridge Campus

11928 Stonehollow Dr., Building 2, Room 2138B

phone (512) 223-4049, email sally.holl@austincc.edu

Office Hours

2:30 - 4:30 PM Tues and Wed, Northridge Campus Room 2138B, and by appointment.

Please send me an e-mail to set up an appointment at least 24 hours before you want to meet.

GIS Lab Hours

GIS software is available for you to use at the ACC Northridge Campus, Building 3000 CAD/GIS labs. The hours are as follows:

Room 3209 -

M-Thurs: 8am - 10:30pm

Saturday: 9am - 2:30pm

Room 3218 -

Friday: 8am - 6pm
Saturday: 2:30pm - 5pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm

These hours are subject to change. Please contact bhagerty@austincc.edu or bryant.meadors@austincc.edu for questions about the lab hours. See Brian Hagerty or Bryant Meador on the second floor of Building 3000 in the CAD administrative office to set up a GIS workstation login when you arrive.

GIS Tutor Hours

GIS Tutors begin working about 2-3 weeks after the start of each semester. They are available to help you in person or remotely via Google Hangouts. Tutor hours and locations are listed on the ACC GIS Website.

Course Description

Instruction in GIS data sets including raster-based information such as interpolated surfaces, photographs and satellite imagery; creation, acquisition, and analysis of raster data; and processing and merging raster and vector data.

Prerequisite

GEOG 2470 Introduction to GIS and GISC 2420 Intermediate GIS

Course Rationale/Objectives

Introduction to Raster-Based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methods and theories of spatial analysis that incorporate raster data models. Students will learn geospatial concepts related to raster creation, processing and analysis while working with ESRI’s ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine software. The end goal is to empower students to apply GIS knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, and to apply the course towards a Level II certificate or an Associate’s degree at Austin Community College (ACC).

Student Learning Outcomes

WECM Student Learning Outcomes

The Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) is a web-based inventory of current workforce education courses and outcomes published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board  for Texas public two-year colleges. WECM courses are created and maintained by teams of instructional specialists from Texas college with expertise in the subject areas. By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• Relate current capabilities of satellites for collecting images and photographs;

• Summarize processing of imagery to produce a thematic map;

• Explain georeferencing of photos or images to maps;

• Operate effectively one or more image processing software packages;

• Interpret photos and images to produce map data;

• Analyze geographic information collected in raster format; and

• Merge photographic information correctly in existing raster formats.

GTCM Student Learning Outcomes

The Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) is an industry model framework published by the US Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to identify industry-specific technical competencies. By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• Select, evaluate, and document primary and secondary data according to original scale, coordinate system, precision, accuracy, completeness, currency, source, and fitness for use;

• Identify, create, and assimilate sources of primary data, such as: GPS, imagery, and field data into a GIS;

• Edit, query, convert, rectify, georeference, project, transform, geoprocess, validate, import, export, backup, and archive data while utilizing file and data standards and assuring quality;

• Query spatial and attribute data by location and utilizing query languages;

• Perform proximity, overlay, density, surface, 3D, network, image, and geostatistical analyses on spatial data;

• Interpret user requirements to select, install, maintain, and license desktop GIS and GIS-related software;

• Implement a GIS project by collecting, creating, assimilating, analyzing, synthesizing, and presenting data and results that satisfy the project goal;

• Interpret user needs to generate GIS products with a defined purpose, target audience, and appropriate medium;

• Create data, maps, and reports with GIS-industry recognized data standards, cartographic conventions, and reporting methods; and

• Practice continuing GIS education utilizing formal instruction; academic, professional, and industry publications; software documentation; online resources; peer professionals; on-the-job experiences; and professional certifications.

SCANS Competencies

The Secretary Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) is a commission appointed in 1990 by the Secretary of the US Department of Labor Lynn Martin to develop a list of skills "that high-performance workplaces require and that high-performance schools should produce." By the end of this course, the student will demonstrate the following workplace competencies and foundation skills:

1. Workplace Competencies - Effective workers can productively use:

   1. Resources – They know how to allocate (C1) time, (C2) money, (C3), materials, and (C4) staff.

   2. Information – They can (C5) acquire and evaluate data, (C6) organize and maintain files, (C7) interprets and communicate, and (C8) use computers to process information.

   3. Interpersonal skills – They can (C9) work on teams, (C10) teach others, (C11) serve customers, (C12) lead, (C13) negotiate, and (C14) work well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds,

   4. Systems – They (C15) understand social, organizational, and technological systems, (C16) they can monitor and correct performance; and (C17) they can design or improve systems.

   5. Technology – They can (C18) select equipment and tools, (C19) apply technology to specific tasks and (C20) maintain and troubleshoot equipment.

2. Foundation Skills - Competent workers in the high-performance workplace need:

   1. Basic Skills – (F1) reading, (F2) writing, (F3) arithmetic and (F4) mathematics, (F5) listening and (F6) speaking.

   2. Thinking skills – (F7) to think creatively, (F8) to make decisions, (F9) to solve problems, (F10) to visualize, (F11) the ability to learn, and (F12) to reason.

   3. Personal Qualities – (F13) individual responsibility, (F14) self-esteem, (F15) sociability, (F16) self-management, and (F17) integrity.

Required Textbook

The following textbook is required for this course:

Introduction to Remote Sensing (FIFTH EDITION). By J. B. Campbell and R. H. Wynne. Guilford Press, New York, USA, 2011. ISBN 978 160918 176 5.

Recommended Materials

Raster data can have very large file sizes. An external hard drive or cloud storage with at least 1 TB of capacity is recommended for this course. The student network-attached storage at Northridge campus (U:) does not allot enough space per student for you to store all of the project data for this course. Sometimes, you will work on the C: of the classroom computers so that large amounts of data are not accessed and written via the slower USB or network protocols. If you want to save your work, you would then copy it to your external hard drive or personal cloud storage, which will take some time.

Instructional Methodology

Lecture will consist of an opening discussion, lecture, lecture exercises, and description of the project assignment relative to the weekly topic. During the lab time, the instructor will be available to assist students with projects.

Grading System

Grading components are based on the successful and timely completion of quizzes, tests, and projects.

The final grade is based on a total of 100 % and the following grade scale:

Quizzes

Each week’s topic includes an exercise or project and supporting quiz. Quizzes will include 10 questions - 5 from the lecture and 5 from the exercise. Quizzes will be accessed via the course Blackboard website and can be retaken as many times as desired. Successfully completing and studying the quizzes will improve your test scores.  

Tests

There are three tests that will be administered during class time. Each test will consist of 20 questions - 10 questions covering the lecture material and 10 questions covering the lab materials. Tests are structured to measure and reinforce overall comprehension.

Projects

There will be four projects assigned during the semester. Each project will include a work breakdown structure (i.e., a list of tasks) and a description of the final deliverable that builds on the material covered in lecture and lab. All projects will include a list of tasks supported by step-by-step instructions. Students will be able to complete project tasks during lab, and it is expected that time outside of class is spent working on projects. The projects are designed to build the skills and confidence required to use raster-based GIS.

Course Policies

Please see the following course policies regarding attendance, withdrawals, incompletes, scholastic dishonesty, students with disabilities, and academic freedom.

Attendance and Participation

While not a formal grading component, attending class and participating in lectures will influence your assignment, project, and final grades. You are responsible for any announcements made in class even if you were not in class that day. Students who miss lecture need to make arrangements to hand in assignments and obtain class related notes, handouts, and announcements.

Students attending class are expected to actively participate in lectures. This means being engaged in lecture, participating in discussions, and responding to the instructor when prompted. Social Internet activities (e.g,. email, Facebook) and mobile voice and texting are an impediment to active participation and should only be utilized during breaks.

Withdrawals

The last day to withdraw from this course for the Spring 2019 16-week session is April 29, 2019. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should they decide to withdraw from the class.  The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should they feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, they should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. Students are also strongly encouraged to retain a copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002, may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course.

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities without penalty.  With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count toward this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Missed or Late Work

Any missing or late work cannot receive a grade higher than the lowest grade awarded a student who turned in the same assignment or project on time. Any project turned in late will be penalized 2 points per day. Any test not made up within a week after the test date will receive a grade of zero.

Incomplete

The instructor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student is unable to complete all of the requirements for a course.  An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline to withdraw from a 16-week course in the subsequent semester.

Scholastic Dishonesty

A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at https://austincc.edu/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Students with Disabilities

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office at the campus where needed. Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.

Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from SAS before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.

Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations. Additional information about SAS is available at http://www.austincc.edu/sas.

Safety Statement

ACC is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and to agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/ehs. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.

Please note that students are expected to conduct themselves professionally, with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be dismissed from the day’s class activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Use of ACC Email Communications

All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff.  Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail.

Students and Instructional Services

ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services.  Information on these services and support systems is available at: http://irt.austincc.edu/IDS/.

Links to many student services and other information can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/current/.

ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/support-and-services/tutoring-and-academic-help.

For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab. For information on Learning Lab locations, hours, and services, visit https://www.austincc.edu/students/learning-lab.

Learn about what’s new at ACC by visiting GIS@ACC.

Course Calendar and Outline

The course calendar is outlined below. While the instructor reserves the right to change the course calendar as required during the semester; any changes will be discussed and agreed to during class. Students are responsible for any changes to the course calendar made in class even if you were not in class that day. Students who miss class need to make arrangements to hand in projects, take tests, and obtain class related notes, handouts, and announcements.

* Denotes deliverable due dates. All deliverables are due at the end of class on the assigned day.

Please see the course requirements section above for this information.

Please see the course requirements section above for this information.

Please see the course requirements section above for this information.