The National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence

A website and technology center that I found a year ago or so through VerySpatial is the GeoTech Center.  This is a great resource for those wanting to learn more about geospatial technology.  There are some valuable resources for educators, students, and industries.  The center (main location at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, TX) is focused on geospatial technology awareness.  They are represented across the county by several community colleges which all focus on this awareness.

The GeoTech Center’s purpose:

In 2008, the National Science Foundation funded the National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence to support two-year college geospatial technology programs.  The GeoTech Center is a collaborative effort between colleges, universities, and industry to expand the geospatial workforce.  The partners of the Center work together to provide professional development, teaching and curriculum resources, career pathways and model core competencies for geospatial technicians.

The website has a variety of information.  The website is broken down into three areas: Educators, Students and Industry.  You can see the additional areas of focus below.

• Educators
  • Development
  • Curriculum Materials
  • Teaching Resources
  • Latest Research
  • GIS in Administration
  • GIS in Classroom
• Students
  • Career Pathway
  • Certification
  • Locate Programs
  • Internships
  • Jobs
  • Social Networking
• Industry
  • Training Opportunities
  • Internship Information

The website also has a really awesome interactive  map of two-year college geospatial education programs.

The GeoTech Center is a valuable resource for anyone looking to find more about geospatial technology and the available education programs.  Take some time and check it out!

Kansas State GIS Certificate Programs

K-State has a great program for those interested in geography.  For those who are looking for more of a GIS focus, they offer two types of certificate programs: Undergraduate Certificate in GIS and the Graduate Certificate in GIScience.

Undergraduate Certificate in GIS

Students looking for an undergraduate certificate come from a variety of area such as agronomy, biological sciences, economics, engineering, geography, landscape architecture, and sociology.  Each one of these areas have direct benefit from GIS.  This certificate is for those students want to have an adequate foundation in geospatial tools.  The certificate is designed to help students prepare for an entry-level position working with GIS.

The following courses are required for the Undergraduate Certificate in GIS:

Ref No.	Course Name	Hrs
GEOG 302	Cartography & Thematic Mapping	3
GEOG 508	Geographic Information Systems I	3
GEOG 702	Computer Mapping & GeoVisualization	3
GEOG 705	Remote Sensing of the Environment	3
GEOG 708	Geographic Information Systems II	3
	One additional course dealing with a basic or applied aspect of geospatial technology or spatial analysis.	3
	Total Credit Hours:	18

Graduate Certificate in GIScience

The Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is designed to provide graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the rapidly expanding field of GIScience or apply GIScience concepts in their own field of study.

The Graduate Certificate in GIScience may be awarded as a “stand-alone” certificate or in conjunction with the completion of graduate degree requirements in one of the academic units at Kansas State University.

Three components comprise the program curriculum:

• A set of prerequisites to gain entry into the program
• A core geospatial courses focusing on geographic information systems (GIS) and satellite remote sensing
• A set of elective courses that allow for the exploration of advanced themes in GIScience and/or the application of GIScience in geography or related disciplines

Certification Requirements:

A maximum of 6 transfer credit hours may be used to meet program requirements.  Students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.33 in the Geospatial Core to qualify for the Graduate Certificate in GIScience.  The graduate faculty for the program will periodically review the certificate requirements and have the authority to pass modifications to the approved list of courses.

Prerequisites

• Competency in cartography, thematic mapping, or geodesy (e.g., GEOG 302)
• Competency in basic statistics (e.g., STAT 320, STAT 330, STAT 350)
• Competency in object-oriented computer programming (e.g., Introduction to Visual Basic)

Geospatial Core (9 credit hours)

• GEOG 508 Geographic Information Systems I (3 cr)
• GEOG 705 Remote Sensing of the Environment (3 cr)
• GEOG 708 Geographic Information Systems II (3 cr)

Elective Courses – Select Two (minimum of 6 credit hours)

• AGRON 655 Site-Specific Agriculture (3 cr)
• BAE 690 Non-Point Pollution Engineering (3 cr)
• CE 585 Civil Engineering Project – must have GIScience focus (3 cr)
• CIS 501 Software Architecture and Design (3 cr)
• CIS 560 Database System Concepts (3 cr)
• CIS 635 Introduction to Computer-based Knowledge Systems (3 cr)
• CIS 636 Introduction to Computer Graphics (3 cr)
• DAS/DEN/GENAG 582 Natural Resources/Environmental Sciences Project – must have GIScience focus (3 cr)
• GEOG 610 Geography Internship – must have GIScience focus (2-3 cr)
• GEOG 700 Quantitative Analysis in Geography (3 cr)
• GEOG 702 Computer Mapping and Geographic Visualization (3 cr)
• GEOG 711 Topics in Remote Sensing (3 cr)
• GEOL 560 Field Methods (3 cr)
• LAR 758 Land Resource Information Systems (3 cr)

For more information check out – http://www.k-state.edu/geography/academics/gis.html

Note: The information within this article has been thoroughly researched but should be verified with the college.  Publication of this article was not initiated by the college but is the sole work of GIS Pathway.

East Carolina University GIS Program

East Carolina University is located in Greenville, NC and is the third largest college in the North Carolina System. ECU has a strong geography department with several degree opportunities. When it comes to GIS, they have one Undergraduate Certificate Program in Geographic Information Science.

The program is designed to provide students from a variety of disciplines both the theoretical and practical competencies to be able to develop and manage Geographic Information projects.   Students should also be able to interpret and implement GIS as a decision support system.

Students from a variety of majors who have enrolled in this program include:

• Geography
• Geology
• Biology
• Planning
• Marketing and management
• Political science
• History
• Coastal studies

This certificate program requires a minimum of 15 s.h. and is composed of the following courses:

Core Courses:

• Fundamentals of GIS
• Fundamentals of GIS
• Geographic Information
• Systems I
• Introduction to GPS

Plus One Additional Course:

• GIS Applications Programming
• Advanced Cartographic Design & Production
• Remote Sensing II
• Geographic Information
• Systems II
• Introduction to GIS in Planning

The Center for Geographic Information Science facility is composed of 25 PC workstations.  These workstations provided a variety of mapping software including:

• Applied Imagery’s Quick Terrain Modeler
• ArcGIS Desktop 9.3
• ArcInfo Workstation 9.3
• ERDAS Imagine 9.1
• FRAGSTATS 3.3
• Interactive Visualization Systems’ (IVS 3D) Fledermaus & Dmagic
• Visual Nature Studio 2 w/ Scene Express

Scholarships

The two main scholarships that are advertised are the ASPRS NC Chapter Scholarship and the NCGITA Scholarship.  Students can apply for thse scholarships through the individual organization and are awarded at thier discresion.

You can find additional information about the GIS Certificate Program at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/geog/GISCertificate.cfm

Note: The information within this article has been thoroughly researched but should be verified with the college.  Publication of this article was not initiated by the college but is the sole work of GIS Pathway.

GeoMentor Program to Help Improve Geographic Literacy

The GeoMentor Program is being sponsored by ESRI and the National Geographic Society.  It is a way to get GIS professionals involved in education.   A recent ArcNews article (Get Involved with Geo-Education Reform) by Daniel C. Edelson, Vice President for Education, National Geographic Society helped set the stage for the program.  He stated that there is a lack of geographic literacy.  An estimate of 18 year olds in the United States shows that approximately 50% are unready in the area of geography with about 25% geographically competent and 25% geographically proficient.  The National Geograhic Society has made it a goal to achieving a 50 percent rate of geographic fluency among 18-year-olds by 2025.  Several actions were presented to making this possible, and one of the action items was the GeoMentor Program.

The ESRI Education Community has laid out a great site for learning more about this program.  ESRI is also introducing the GeoMentor program at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference.  There are several sessions being presented as well as an easy sign up method for those attending the confernece.  I am sure there will be more information to come, but I would suggest becoming apart of this great opprtunity today and help increase the geographic literacy among our youth today!

You can be as involved as much as you desire with for basic stages:

“Learning” (Stage 1) means you agree to receive periodic emails about the GeoMentor program. You will be publicly visible simply as a dot on the map.

“Seeking” (Stage 2) means that you are interested in a partnership and agree to make some characteristics visible to people who are logged in at the “Seeking” level or higher, though they cannot directly identify you, nor directly contact you without your approval.

“Working” (Stage 3) means that you are participating in one or more GeoMentor partnerships.

“Reporting” (Stage 4) means that you have entered information about your activities in order to share that with others.

Find participants who are apart of the program through a GeoMentor Program interactive map.

Search for all the talk about the GeoMentor Program on Twitter.

CCBC Geospatial Applications Program

The Community College of Baltimore County is one of the few community colleges on the east coast to offer a degree program in Geospatial Applications.  The program was started in the fall of 2006 and is accredited by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.  On March 1st, 2009, CCBC received statewide designation which allows for out of county students to take classes at in-county rate.

Students of all backgrounds are taking advantage of this program which feeds into the rapidly growing geospatial industry.  A variety of ages are taking classes; from high school seniors to older adults in their late 60’s.  Some students are seeking their first degree while others are returning for training and certification.  With the downturn with the economy, more and more are returning to add a boost of GIS to their experience.  Additionally, there is about a 3-2 male to female ratio.

Here is a breakdown of what the Geospatial Applications Program offers:

• Associate of Applied Science Degree
  • 65-66 Credits
  • 2 Year Program
  • Transferable to a four year institute for a bachelor’s degree
• Introduction to Geospatial Applications Certificate
  • 13 credits
  • Provides immediate skills to enter the GIS workplace or as a way for skill enhancement
• Advanced Geospatial Applications Certificate
  • 23 credits
  • Provides additional experience in advanced spatial analysis and project design and management
  • Focused on core courses and immediate employment

Transfer Options

For those who desire to pursue a four degree, an articulation agreement has been negotiated for students to transfer to the two largest transfer institutions in the area.  Students who complete the A.A.S Degree in Geospatial Applications can earn junior and senior level credit through Towson University or the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.  CCBC is the first community college GIS program in the country to be able to achieve such an aggressive articulation agreement.

Class Specifics

Class sizes are currently averaging about seven students.  The introductory courses tend to have higher attendance with 10-16 students, and the advanced courses tend to be smaller with 3-6 students.  Since the program is still relatively new, the class cohorts are slowly increasing each year.

Currently there are no classes offered online.  Face-to-face interaction is important in GIS classes, specifically with Remote Sensing and GPS.

Beyond just the basic core classes of GIS, CCBC offers more specialized courses such as Decision Making Using GIS and Remote Sensing and GPS.  Decision Making Using GIS focuses on the ArcGIS extensions (3D Mapper, Spatial Analyst, Network Analyst, etc.).  Remote Sensing and GPS focuses on the principles of remote sensing and image interpretation as well as GPS software and technology.

In addition to ESRI’s ArcGIS software, students are exposed to other software programs.  In the Remote Sensing and GPS class, students learn how to use Pathfinder Office, Terrasync, and ERDAS Imagine.  The Adobe suite is also incorporated into map production with the use of Photoshop and Illustrator.  As for software availability, enrolled students are provided with a free one year ArcView software license with all extensions.

Scholarships/Internships/Organizations

CCBC is currently establishing a series of scholarships to help with tuition for the program.  As students are usually required to present posters/maps at conferences, the college will often help cost the student’s conference fees.

As internships can be a key boost to jump starting a career, a variety of paid and unpaid internships are made available.  The positions are usually with local, county and state municipalities, non-profit groups, and local and regional businesses.

Although there are currently no GIS student clubs/organizations in place, CCBC students have expressed an intrest in forming a chapter of Gamma Theta Epsilon, an international honor society in geography.

Summary

The CCBC program appears to be very well organized.  Although they may not offer online classes, schedule flexibility is shown with the provision of day and night classes.  The small class sizes make an excellent learning environment for more one-on-one time with the professor.  I believe the huge benefit of this program is the ability to transfer the A.A.S. degree.  Most colleges do not have a transfer program set up and if they do, very few geospatial classes will transfer.  If you are looking to move forward with a four year degree then this would be an excellent one to look into further.  Check it out for yourself!

Thank you to Professor Scott Jeffrey for taking the time to provide this valuable information.

Note: The information within this article has been thoroughly researched but should be verified with the college.  Publication of this article was not initiated by the college but is the sole work of GIS Pathway.

GIS Boot Camp vs. Traditional Teaching

I recently came across a post about the Introduction to GIS class at the University of Richmond.  Kimberly Klinker changed up her Introduction to GIS class from the traditional lecture/lab format to a boot camp/project format.  She did five weeks of teaching basic concepts of GIS and the ArcGIS software then used the remaining part of the semester to assign a project.  Wondering what the result was?  Well according to the article, it was a success.  The class was able to present a project that helps students with disabilities transverse the campus (Read more on this project).

This teaching style may sound very strange and unorthodox, but the evolution of education is providing various techniques to help students learn.  I must first commend Ms. Klinker for thinking outside of the box.  I do not believe that the traditional style of learning through lecture is the best method for this technology.  However, the boot camp method may also not be the best.  You have to remember that each individual student has their own learning style.  Some are able to use a self study workbook approach and learn more than sitting under the lecture of an experienced professor.  Others may prefer the traditional classroom style, while there may be a few who even like to learn by trial and error through experience.  Is there a particular learning style that works best for Geospatial Technology?  I believe that this subject cannot be taught through just lecture.  There must be some type of application.  Having book knowledge is OK, but putting that knowledge to use is even better.

I like that fact that these students were able to take on a project from start to finish.  Application, application, application is important!  Knowing how to perform a task is one thing; being able to apply it is another.  Students can be provided with the tools for Geospatial Technology, but they must also be able to discern when it is best to put them to use.

Does a mixture of learning styles produce the best environment for learning GIS, or is there a particular style that works best?

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota GIS Program

The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Department of Resource Analysis provides a Master of Science – Geographic Information Science degree.  This degree consists of 41 semester hours.  In addition to the master’s degree they also have a Professional Certificate in Geospatial Technology which can be earned separately or concurrently with the master’s degree.  These educational options are available between their two campuses; the Winona Campus and the Twin Cities Campus.

Saint Mary’s Department of Resource Analysis prides itself in allowing for “hands on learning”.  This learning style embraces the ESRI technology in their labs and instructional materials.  The class sizes are usually small and enable students to receive direct instructor support.  Beyond the classroom, Saint Mary’s helps to develop networking opportunities for career placement and advancement.

On their website, Saint Mary’s University describes their program:

The program is suited for diverse interests and provides educational options for any learner no matter their background. Student centered learning is maximized through flexibility in offering distance-learning courses as well as multiple degree concentrations in natural resource management, homeland security/emergency management, business, policy administration, criminal justice, and/or project management.

Their students and alumni have received quite a bit a recognition and praise from various sources.  These include:

• GIS Project Presentation at the International ESRI Conference
• Job Interview with the United States Postal Inspection Service
• Received Job as the Deputy GIS officer for all of Europe
• Student said that they went from no technology background to gaining effective GIS skills
• Described as putting top-quality professionals out in the GIS world!

Read more testimonials…

To see what type of graduates this program puts out, check out some of their students’ work:

Graduate Project Video Presentations
Graduate Papers Online

Some of the topics include:

• Using GIS to Examine the Head Start Service Area in Winona County, Minnesota
• The effect of Tourist Attractions on the Crime Trends in the Growing Community of Shakopee, Minnesota
• Using GIS to Create a Gray Wolf Habitat Suitability Model in the Western Upper Penninsula of Michigan and Assessment of Wolf Pack Ranges
• Improving Geocode Match Rates of Valid Addresses by Combining Multiple Reference Data Sets
• Using GIS to Locate Target Markets in the Retail Banking Sector

The Professional Certificate in Geospatial Technology falls under the Continuing Education Program. There are three different certificates available:

• Professional Certificate in Geospatial Technology – Foundations
• Professional Certificate in Geospatial Technology – Advanced Engagements
• Professional Certificate in Geospatial Technology – Excellence

Each certificate requires 120 continuing education units with each continuing education unit equaling 10 hours of course time. The program is setup as an on-learning environment. The courses are described as:

The courses provided through this program are intended to ensure that geospatial and technology enthusiasts have access to, and are provided with, opportunities to remain current with technology in the field of Geographic Information Systems and related geospatial technologies.

Scholarships

Saint Mary’s University offers a variety of scholarships although none directly apply to GIS. One that caught my attention was the SGPP Faculty Staff Scholarship. The faculty and staff provide two scholarships of at least $1,700 which are available to students in any of the certificate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs.

Learn more about Saint Mary’s University: http://www.smumn.edu/
Learn more about the Geospatial Program: http://www.gis.smumn.edu/

Note: The information within this article has been thoroughly researched but should be verified with the college.  Publication of this article was not initiated by the college but is the sole work of GIS Pathway.

North Central Michigan Adds GIS Program

North Central Michigan is expanding their GIS program to include an Associate of Science Degree in Geographic Information Systems. The college just began a GIS certificate program for the spring 2009 semester. The first offered course, Introduction to Geographic Information Systems I, will allow students to learn the concept of GIS which will include basic mapping concepts, coordinate systems, georeferencing spatial data, and vector and raster data models. To fit the time needs of perspective students, this introductory course is currently being provided as a night class. Other classes will be added as the program expands.

Here is some dialog from a Petosky News-Review interview article with Sam McLin, associate dean of liberal arts:

“If you have ever played with programs like Google Earth or Onstar in your car, you have experimented with a basic form of GIS,” McLin said. “GIS is much more powerful and used in many fields. Exposing students to this here at NCMC may prepare them for future study in the earth sciences, civil engineering, biology or geography.”

Additionally, McLin said many government agencies, environmental consultants, surveying companies, municipal planning firms and power companies use GIS everyday.

“Any firm, organization, municipality or individual wishing to build, permit, tax or change the use of any land depends on someone using GIS,” she said.

The addition of the program is important to the college because it gives students more options.

“It’s important to the community because it will hopefully allow graduates to get a job, advance their career or start a new career path,” McLin said.

Another benefit? The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that many jobs that use GIS, such as surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists and surveying and mapping technicians are expected to increase 21 percent from 2006 to 2016.

“The GIS field is one of the few career fields expected to grow in the coming years,” McLin said. “The average salary is really good around the country. There are good paying jobs for a field that seems to be expanding.”

Read the full article

From their website, North Central Michigan College is described as:

…an open-door community college based in Petoskey. Through its University Center partnerships, students can take courses leading to certificates, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from participating universities. North Central’s Institute for Business & Industry Training offers non-credit job skills training tailored to meet individual needs. In addition to its main campus in Petoskey, North Central offers classes, academic advising, testing and other services in Cheboygan, Gaylord and East Jordan.

This program looks like one to watch. I am interested to see how it grows with enrollment as well as course content. I encourage those in the North Central Michigan area to support this program and take a new course or two.

http://www.ncmich.edu/

Informing Students about GISP Certification

I wrote a paper for an English class during my first year in the Geospatial Technology Program at Central Piedmont Community College.  The paper was to be focused on a program enhancement proposal.  Although this only went only as far as my English professor, I believe that there are some really important things to point out.

There are several community colleges that focus on the applied uses of the Geographic Information System. Programs properly educates students in order to place then into GIS positions. Outside of GIS degrees and certificates that colleges provide, the GIS Certification Institute offers a professional certification in GIS. Standards and requirements are outlined by the GISCI to give adequate recognition to those who comply with the requirements.

Although many colleges provides quality degree and certificate programs, there is a need to inform student about the GIS professional certification. Many GIS students have never heard of a certified GIS professional. They are being taught the fundamentals of the industry but not how to develop a GIS career. Through developing a career, students will learn the importance of continuing education and networking beyond just acquiring a job.

Informing students about the certified GIS professional is essential when they begin college. With the aspects of career planning, the introduction of this certification will inspire student to think long-term. In addition, goals are instilled in the thought process of the students. Students will be able to see past graduation and build objectives that they will desire to fulfill. Furthermore, the ethics of the GIS industry will be presented to the student. Preparing students for a job is one thing, but preparing students who will do what is right within a job is another.

As the GIS industry grows, students must be informed about the areas important to a GIS career. Students must have set goals, networking abilities, and ethical training. Teaching students early about the GIS Professional Certification will help to produce quality GIS graduates.

Download the discussed research paper….Proposal to Inform Students About GIS Certification

Note: The above paper was never submitted to Central Piedmont Community College; however, I feel that it presents a good example of most GIS Colleges.

Want to know when you should start on your GISP? Read GISP Certification – Start Now!

American River College GIS Program

The American River College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, CA.  They are classified in the top ten community colleges within California based on their enrollment of almost 32,000 students with the average class size at 22. The college offers over 30 certificate programs and over 40 degree programs.

American River College has provided a GIS program since 1997 with the approval of certificate and degree programs beginning in 2001.  They offer an Interdisciplinary Applications Certificate and an A.S. Degree in GIS.  These programs are comprised of 15 different GIS courses.  Although none of these GIS courses are offered online, they do hope to be using the online format in the near future.

Students who enroll into the program have access to a state of the art computer facility with the latest GIS software.  ArcView (with extensions) is also provided as a take home solution with a one year student license.  In addition to ArcGIS, students are able to have hands-on experience with other GIS software such as GPS software and Erdas Imagine.

The GIS program faculty is made up of both full time and adjunct professors.  Each full time faculty member brings a wealth of experience to the classroom.  From coauthoring GIS books to establishing GIS curriculum this faculty helps support a quality program.  The adjunct faculty also brings experience from governmental GIS divisions that include California Fish and Game and the City of Sacramento.

Those students wishing to transfer to a four-year college may do so, but must be cautioned because GIS courses at American River College are lower division and universities classify their GIS course as upper division.  There are some universities that may allow certain courses to transfer, but you will need to contact the university directly to see what will transfer.  Universities like Humboldt and Berkeley would be a place to start.

Students who choose not to pursuer a four year degree have the option to go out directly into the workplace.  Although students are not provided directly with internships, they are kept up to date on local job availability.  An interesting fact to note is that the typical GIS student at American River College is a working professional with the average age at 28.

The American River College GIS program has been recognized by the California Geographic Information Association with the “Excellence in Education” award.  In addition, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) has presented the program with the “Special Achievement in GIS” award.

For more information visit: http://web.arc.losrios.edu/~earthsci/gis.htm

Thank you to Dr. Hugh Howard for providing some great information.

Note: The information within this article has been thoroughly researched but should be verified with the college.  Publication of this article was not initiated by the college but is the sole work of GIS Pathway.

Next Page »