I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Advanced GPS/GIS

2. Course Prefix & Number:
NATR 2170

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 2

Lecture Hours: 1

Lab Hours: 2

4. Course Description:

The objective of this class is to provide you with an advanced understanding of GIS software (ArcGIS 9.3) and GPS technology.  The main emphasis will be on learning practical applications for the software.  Lectures will provide examples of GIS techniques, how the processes work and for what applications they may be used.  The laboratory will provide hands-on training to learn various GIS processes which will focus on collecting, organizing, managing, analyzing, and presenting spatial data.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Name of Institution	Course Number and Title	Credits
U of M. Crookston	Natr 2630 Geographic Information Systems	3
U of W Steven’s Point	Geog 279	2

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

Name of Institution	Date of Acceptance	Discipline/Area/Program of Transfer
U of M Crookston	2008-2010	Geographic Information Systems
U of W Steven’s Point	2007-2009	Geography

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Natural Resources Technology, AAS

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Construct advanced operations flow charts that demonstrate a sequence of operations needed to complete a GIS process
Utilize appropriate technology	Develop a greater understanding of GPS and GIS technologies used to collect data from the field, create maps, and make assessments/reach conclusions from the data.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Assemble data information.
• Construct a small GIS database.
• Perform analyses with the data set.
• Put together a five minute power point presentation to showcase their projects.
• Create flow charts which describe process operations in GIS applications.
• Demonstrate the proper use of advanced GIS commands (e.g., clip, buffer, etc.).

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Refresher on GIS Use
• Overview
• Flow Charts
• Disk Space
2. Hawths’s Analysis Tool Web Site
• Readings and Assignments
3. Field Sampling and Planning
• Creating Sampling Locations
  Data Sheets
  Reading and Assignments
4. GPS Data For Field Sampling
• Boom Lake Project
  Equipment
  Readings and Assignments
• Readings and Assignments
5. Spatial Operations
• Geoprocessing
• Introduction to Metadata
• Readings and Assignments
6. Presidents Day – No Lecture
• Readings and Assignments
7. Spatial Operations and Geoprocessing
• Introduction to Geoprocessing
  Readings and Assignments
8. Advanced Attribute Table Operations
• Recalculating Area and Length
  Using Basic Scripts
9. Raster Data: AKA Continuous Data
• Viewing
  Downloading and Creating Raster Data
  Readings and Assignments
10. Spatial Analysis Using Continuous Data I
• Using the Spatial analyst to Analyze and Display data
• Readings and Assignments
11. Spatial Data using Continuous Data II
• Using 2d analyst to create raster data
  Using ArcScene to view and display data
  Readings and Assignments
12. Additional Resources and Review
• Readings and Assignments
13. In Class review of GIS/GPS Procedures
• Preparing for the Final
14. Lab Final Review

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions

1. Flow Charts and Disk Space Management
2. Creating Sampling Locations and Data Sheets
3. In the Field - Boom Lake Project
4. The ESRI Module – Geostatistical Analyst
5. In the Filed – Boom Lake
6. Metadata Tips and Tricks
7. Geoprocessing
8. Advanced Attribute Tables
9. Viewing Downloading and Creating Raster Data
10. Using Spatial Analyst
11. Using 3d
12. Other Sources
13. Lab Quiz
14. Presentations
15. Lab Final