Syllabus

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Capstone GISC 2164

Professor Stephanie Long, GISP

This syllabus means to welcome you as we embark on an exciting journey together.  Throughout this journey, I aim to provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed. I am committed to creating an inclusive and respectful space where you feel comfortable expressing your ideas and opinions. 

Please know that my office hours are open for any clarifications, discussions, or even just to chat about your academic interests.  Please also know that I am happy to meet with you on any ACC Campus as needed or virtually.

Your presence in this course is an integral part of our dynamic learning environment. Your unique perspectives, insights, and contributions will enrich our discussions and enhance the overall learning experience for everyone. I encourage you to actively participate, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful dialogues with your peers.  

This course is designed to be an engaging and intellectually stimulating experience, where we will explore your specific project in depth. Our goal is not only to deepen your understanding of the subject matter, but also to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love for learning.  As we navigate this semester together, I encourage you to embrace the challenges, seek out collaboration, and remember to celebrate your successes. Remember, higher education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it's about developing skills that will serve you well beyond the classroom and throughout your career.

In this syllabus, you will find essential information about the course structure, assignments, assessments, and other important details. I urge you to review it thoroughly and reach out if you have any questions or concerns.  

Once again, welcome to the course. I look forward to getting to know each of you and working closely to achieve our academic goals.

Course Information: 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) GISC 2164 Section 002 Practicum 68278; Course location: While there are no regularly scheduled classes during the course, we will have mandatory web meetings: 2 class meetings and 3 check-ins (one-on-one meetings).  

• The mandatory Kick-Off (KO) Meeting is held during the first week of the semester.  The KO Meeting takes about an hour and is an opportunity for me to set everyone's expectations for this course. We'll briefly review the syllabus and discuss possible projects that you are interested in working on to satisfy the criteria for this course.  The meeting information is provided to students in Blackboard.
• The Check-in (one-on-one) meetings will be held throughout the semester based on your needs. Schedule a meeting at any time on this calendar. These meetings should reflect the Course Schedule and occur, at a minimum, around weeks 5, 9, and 13.
• The mandatory Capstone Showcase Meeting is held the last week of the semester.  The showcase meeting takes about 15 minutes per student and is an opportunity for students to present their Capstone project.

Instructor Contact Information:

• Email address: stephanie.long@austincc.edu
  • Email communication for this course will be conducted using the student’s austincc.edu email only.  Emails from other addresses will not receive a response.  This is to protect the privacy of students.
• Office Hours:
  •  The instructor will make every effort to respond to students within 24 hours.  Meetings with the instructor are available upon request, during shown office hours on this calendar, virtually or in-person. Appointments must be made 4 hours in advance. You will receive confirmation of the appointment as a calendar invite.  If the calendar does not fit your schedule, simply email the instructor for other meeting times by appointment.
• About the Instructor: 
  • Stephanie Long will be the instructor for this GIS course.  She was recently the ACC GIS Department Chair and is a full-time GIS Professor who has taught all of the Level I GIS courses along with the Scripting, Programming, and Advanced Problems Level II courses.  Stephanie Long was previously the GIS Systems Coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife within the IT Division of their Headquarters Building located in Austin, Texas.  Here she led a team of GIS Support and Service professionals for over 300 users across the state.  She has taught college courses for several counties and districts since 2008, including the subject matters of World Geography, Physical Geography, Cultural Geography, Introduction to GIS, and Raster Analysis with GIS.  Formerly, her work has taken her from the heat of the Mojave Desert to the cold of a blizzard in Wyoming.  Her presentations at professional conferences have covered topics such as “Python as a GIS Intern” and “The Application of GIS in the Environmental Impact Analysis of Transmission Line Routing” and “What’s New in Automating GIS Workflows” and “Programming with GIS?! Yes You Can!” and “Applying the CBE Model for Online Student Success”.  Recently the Geography Department of Texas State University presented Stephanie with the Mary Beth Booth Award for Outstanding Service by an Extramural Educator in recognition of her history in preparing students for success.  Stephanie was also spotlighted by Austin Community College for her work developing online GIS courses and was announced as ACC eFaculty of the Year for 2020.  Stephanie Long holds a Master of Science in Geography from Texas State University in San Marcos and she has over 16 years of experience as a GIS professional in the public and private sectors.  She is a certified GIS professional.

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 colleges with expertise in the subject areas. By the end of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Apply the theory, concepts, and skills involving specialized materials, tools, equipment, procedures, regulations, laws, and interactions within and among political, economic, environmental, social, and legal systems associated with the occupation and the business/industry;
  • Demonstrate legal and ethical behavior, safety practices, interpersonal and teamwork skills, and appropriate written and verbal communication skills using the terminology of the occupation and the business/industry; and
  • Learning outcomes/objectives as determined by local occupational need and business and industry trends.

• 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:
  • Develop conceptual, logical, and physical geospatial data models in response to user requirements and within the life cycle of a GIS project or work-flow of a GIS program;
  • Identify and perform data management activities required to clean, normalize, integrate, automate, geospatially enable, and administer data;
  • Select, evaluate, and document primary and secondary data according to original scale, coordinate system, precision, accuracy, completeness, currency, source, and fitness for use;
  • Identify, collect, and assimilate sources of secondary data, such as: clearinghouse data, digitized data, classified data, COGO, and geocoded 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;
  • Implement a GIS project by collecting, creating, assimilating, analyzing, synthesizing, and presenting data and results that satisfy the project goal;
  • Manage GIS projects utilizing a project management framework that includes documenting the project goal, scope, work breakdown structure, statement of work, defined deliverables, project summary, and project archive;
  • 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;
  • 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; and
  • Participate in professional GIS organizations, workshops, and conferences.
• 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:
    • 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.
    • 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.

Course Description:

• Credit Hours: 1; Classroom Contact Hours per week: 0; Laboratory Contact Hours per week: 7
• Practical, general workplace training supported by an individualized learning plan developed by the employer, college, and student.
• The transferability of workforce courses varies. Students interested in transferring courses to another college should speak with their Area of Study (AoS) advisor, Department Chair, and/or Program Director.
• Course Rationale/Objectives
  • The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Capstone is designed to provide the students with an understanding of the methods and theories of spatial analysis that will allow students to apply GIS knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, and to apply the course toward a certificate or an associate’s degree at Austin Community College (ACC).
• Course Prerequisite(s)
  • Introduction to GIS (GISC 1411 or GEOG 2470), Introduction to Geospatial Data (GISC 1479), Intermediate GIS (GISC 2420), Introduction to Maps Design and Use (GISC 1491), and Data Acquisition and Analysis in GIS (GISC 2401). 

• Required Texts/Materials
  • None.
• Instructional Methodology
  • The ACC instructor will serve as a Project Principal - providing organizational framework and oversight for the student-led GIS Capstone.  The student will serve as the Project Manager - managing the project and associated deliverables. The Project Manager is expected to have the knowledge and skills required to complete a complex geospatial project with minimal oversight from the Project Principal.  The online course website contains a Discussion group for communicating openly with the instructor and classmates.  

Distance Education 

• ACC distance education courses are every bit as academically challenging as on-campus courses, but many students discover that there are also unique challenges to online education. Common challenges that distance students encounter include lack of self-motivation, inability to focus, trouble maintaining accountability, being disorganized, inability to effectively communicate, poor time management, and failure to balance your educational and personal commitments.
• Since you will not be meeting regularly with your instructor, you must be able to manage your time effectively and prioritize to meet deadlines and stay on track with your coursework. Successful distance students are self-starters who understand the commitment and discipline required to thrive in an online environment. You must be an active learner who asks questions when you do not understand something. Your instructor cannot see you, so you need to “speak up” if you have problems by contacting your instructor right away; otherwise, there is no way for your instructor to know that something is wrong.
• Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration.

Student Technology Support

• Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at https://www.austincc.edu/sts.
• Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.
• Student Technology Services offers phone, live chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Grading System

• Grading components are based on the successful and timely completion of the attached forms (as needed), five required meetings, interview, annotated bibliography, statement of work, geospatial data inventory, competency exam, public presentation, and project summary report. 

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

Form

Students must ensure that the attached GIS Capstone Agreement is executed before starting work on the GIS Capstone project.

Interview

Congratulations on making it this far toward a career in GIS!  The next step is the interview.  As you look for a GIS position that interests you, we are going to work together to prepare you for knocking that interview out of the park.  Interviews can be a lot of pressure, so the better prepared you are, the better experience you will have.  This assignment will step you through the process of practicing possible interview questions and learning how to ace the interview.  Students will formulate a clear, concise analysis question and an annotated bibliography with the results of initial background research and literature review.

Annotated Bibliography

In this course, you will perform a data analysis project under the supervision of your professor or your workplace supervisor (Figure 1). Starting a big data project inherently comes with questions: What are the goals of the project? What should you know about your data? And where do you begin?  To clearly understand the business issue that you need to address, you will gather information about requirements and expectations. You may also do some background research on the issue which may involve talking to subject matter experts and a literature review.

Statement of Work

A Statement of Work (SOW) is the foundation for delivering a successful project. A Guide to the
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK™ Guide) defines a SOW as “a narrative
description of products or services to be supplied under contract.” In your case, it is a way to
clearly describe the question you will answer for your capstone project, and by when.  This is a living document to be worked on all semester. This Google Document will be shared with the instructor all semester to serve as a progress indicator and allow for collaboration between the student and instructor in all phases of the project.   

Geospatial Data Inventory

The geospatial inventory lists and prioritizes the data required to populate your physical data model and perform your analysis. This provides a table of the prioritized datasets required to perform the tasks listed in the SOW and accomplish the project goal.

Competency Exam

Any student taking a GIS Capstone course is required to take a competency exam measuring their knowledge and skills relative to the GIS award they are seeking. The GIS Level I Certificate Exam consists of 75 questions. Students will be provided with a practice exam prior to taking the competency exam. Tests are structured to measure and reinforce overall comprehension.

Presentation

The highlight of the GIS Capstone course is presenting your project to peer professionals. The presentation represents the synthesis of the skills and knowledge acquired in pursuit of your GIS Certification or Degree. Students will present the results of their GIS Capstone Independent Study, Internship, or Work-Study to their peers, professionals, and/or the public through a web meeting.  

Project Summary Report

The Project Summary Report is the synthesis of your entire project into a single document. It includes elements from the SOW and Presentation Assignments, plus an Executive Summary, Results, and Conclusion consolidated into a single, easy-to-understand report.  Students will provide feedback to fellow classmates in the form of a graded peer review as a portion of the Project Summary Report grade.  A template will be provided by the instructor.

Course Schedule

The due dates for each of the grading component assignments are listed below.  Students will work with the instructor to establish custom due dates for their assignments if needed.  These assignments will encounter several drafts and will be a work in progress as you learn more about your project data and evaluate the results of the analysis workflow.

*You and your internship supervisor or employer can mutually agree on a different time and location for your presentation as needed.

**ACC instructors and students can mutually agree on a different time as needed.

Student Expectations

Students enrolled in the Internship or Work Study should already be employed with a company
or agency. Students enrolled in the Independent Study will select and complete an
instructor-approved GIS project. By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate employability skills as outlined on the Student Evaluation;
• Demonstrate the academic and technical competencies of the position; and
• Maintain good communication with the ACC instructor/workplace supervisor.

The GIS Capstone is an opportunity for students to apply skills learned at ACC in the workplace or simulated workplace. The ACC instructor/workplace supervisor will supervise this work with regular evaluations.  This will include employability competencies such as punctuality, teamwork, and appropriate demeanor as well as academic and workforce competencies such as digitizing, editing, performing spatial queries, georeferencing, and/or other appropriate GIS tasks.
In rare instances, the GIS Capstone may not work out for the student or for the company or agency.  If this occurs, first talk to your ACC instructor/workplace supervisor and discuss any problems with him/her.  Often something can be worked out so that you can successfully complete your GIS Capstone within the company or agency. If you ever feel unsafe in the work environment of your GIS Capstone be sure to contact your ACC instructor immediately.  Your safety is of paramount importance at all times.
For most people, the GIS Capstone is one of the most educational and enjoyable courses you will take.  You are bridging the gap between student and employee and are embarking on your chosen career.  The more you learn from your experiences and the more you can bring to the GIS Capstone, the more satisfying it will be for all parties involved.
Employer Expectations

Students enrolled in the Internship or Work Study will be supervised by a workplace supervisor
employed with a company or agency. Students enrolled in the Independent Study will be
supervised by the ACC instructor, who will serve as the workplace supervisor. During the
semester, the workplace supervisor will be expected to:

• Meet with the student and ACC instructor at an initial meeting and at other times during the semester if desired by any party;
• Teach the applicable employability skills;
• Discuss the student’s performance with them; and
• Provide a safe work environment.

The student evaluations are required to successfully complete the GIS Capstone, as well as provide feedback about the student’s performance.  If any problems arise during the GIS Capstone, please contact the ACC instructor immediately so that any issues can be resolved as quickly as possible. 
Confidentiality is an important consideration for a company and an employability skill for a student.  If desired, a company can request that the student sign a non-disclosure agreement as well as any other such documents required of employees at that company.  This is usually done during the initial meeting at the beginning of the semester or at the student’s first day.ACC Expectations

The ACC instructor will provide a general framework for the GIS Capstone as described in this course syllabus and the course outline/calendar.
During the semester, the ACC instructor will be expected to:

• Ensure the student is in a suitable, safe working environment;
• Maintain regular contact with the workplace supervisor and the student during the semester;
• Facilitate the learning process;
• Grade and provide feedback on all assignments; and
• Assign a final course grade.

This course is the capstone of ACC’s GIS program leading to a GIS Certificate or Degree.  GIS training at ACC combines both strong academic skills and workforce competencies. This emphasis on the combination of academics and workforce is unusual; most other community colleges focus primarily on workforce and most universities focus primarily on academics. This combination has the advantage of graduating well-trained GIS technicians who are able to establish satisfactory careers for themselves in this growing field.
The ACC instructor for students enrolled in the Internship or Work Study will contact the
employer and the student at the beginning of the semester to establish the parameters of the GIS
Capstone, including the times and days to work, and to ensure that any necessary forms are
signed. The ACC instructor will also maintain the student’s grades according to the Course
Evaluation/Grading System described in this syllabus.
The ACC instructor for students enrolled in the Internship or Work Study will also act as a
mediator between the company and the student and, if necessary, mediate any disputes or
difficulties. This function is best maintained through regular contact with both the company and
the student, so that small issues may be resolved quickly to everyone’s satisfaction. The ACC
instructor is responsible for helping to ensure that the GIS Capstone benefits all the parties
Involved.  ACC requires that the ACC instructor and the workplace supervisor’s proprietor sign the GIS Capstone Agreement.

Additional Information

GIS@ACC Website and Mailing List

ACC’s GIS Department maintains the GIS@ACC departmental website. (https://sites.google.com/austincc.edu/gis) This website has information about the department, GIS job opportunities, internships, GIS conferences, etc. You can subscribe to GIS@ACC by email.  Once you are subscribed, you will receive an email when a new job, internship opportunity, or industry announcement is posted on this website. See the website for more information.

COLLEGE POLICIES

Please refer to https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies or the link in Blackboard for ACC’s college policies including Statement on Academic Integrity, Student Rights & Responsibilities, Senate Bill 212 and Title IX Reporting Requirements, Student Complaints, Statement on Privacy, Recording Policy, Safety Statement, Campus Carry, Discrimination Prohibited, Use of ACC email, Use of the Testing Center, and Student Support Services.

GIS Capstone Agreement
 

The purpose of this agreement is to ensure a joint understanding between the student and the instructor on the goals and objectives of the student GIS Capstone Project.  

1. The Instructor agrees to guide and coordinate the student’s educational experience to meet course objectives, to ensure a meaningful work experience, to collect regular feedback from the student, and to help the student prepare for a career search in GIS.
2. The instructor agrees to provide instruction and varied work experience related to the student’s coursework and interests. The instructor also agrees to complete regular evaluations of student work performance and progress and to provide feedback to the student based on first draft submissions of assignments.
3. The student agrees to abide by the rules that govern the Capstone course and program, and to perform and complete all duties and assignments decided upon by the student and the instructor, and to act with professionalism and decorum throughout the Capstone experience. 

This is not a legal contract and may be terminated at the discretion of the student or instructor.

Please see the Course Requirements section for all pertinent course information.

Please see the Course Requirements section for all pertinent course information.

Please see the Course Requirements section for all pertinent course information.