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Geographic Information Systems

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course aims to master the principles, structure, significance, and application of geographical information systems in various sectors of the national economy. Students will be acquainted with the history of creating and developing geographic information systems and their classification. Students will understand the nature of spatial data creation and use, standardization, principles, systems and capabilities for storage, circulation, and use of spatial information.
Students will acquire basic knowledge and skills about using spatial information systems, data, and results in the chosen field of professional activities. Students will be able to apply in practice the potential of geographic information systems in various professional situations in surveying, construction, property and land management, agriculture, water management, forestry, environmental protection and other sectors in public and municipal institutions and private companies.
During the laboratory works, students will acquire practical skills in working with ArcGIS Pro software by learning the following aspects of spatial data management and application:
- search, extraction and quality of use - skills for suitability assessment;
- creating and transforming different spatial data - creating interoperability;
- creation, correction, supplement and development of new spatial data;
- analytical activities;
- skills to represent the results of work by creating cartographic applications and presentations.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Upon the completion of this course, students:
1. knows and understands the aspects of historical development, content, structure, necessity and practical application of geographic information systems – formal tests;
2. is able identify and evaluate the potential for practical application of geographic information systems and spatial data, as well as is able to define work tasks and requirements for developers, maintainers and users of geographic information systems and spatial data – practical tasks, presentation;
3. Knows the development, standardization and application of spatial data, principles of quality assessment, methods of ensuring interoperability, transformation - integration, solutions to solve analytical tasks and elaborate reports – practical tasks, presentation.

Students are able to:
- search for the sources to acquire spatial data of interest, evaluate the compliance of available - downloaded spatial data with the operational requirements of geographic information systems and determine potential applications, create a working environment suitable for practical work with spatial data, including import and configuration of spatial data – practical tasks;
- process the spatial data and sets of data by combining, modifying, supplementing with new data or correcting existing data, define analytical tasks for the system and evaluate the results obtained, ensure export of the results obtained to another system or retention for registration – practical tasks;
- elaborate on the final results of work done as sets of spatial or cartographic representations in digital and print formats and prepare and give a presentation – practical tasks, presentation.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The essence and meaning of geographic information systems, history of creation and development (1 h);
2. The structure/components of geographic information systems and their functions. Geographic information - the basis of geographic information systems (1 h);
3. The basics of creation and maintenance of geographic information systems. The technologies used to obtain and process spatial data (1 h);
4. Test 1 (1 h);
5. The technical equipment and software of geographic information systems (1 h);
6. Geodesy, cartography and geographic information systems (1 h);
7. The metadata of geographic information - essence, structure, application and meaning (1 h);
8. The compatibility (interoperability) of spatial data - substance and challenges in the system functionality (1 h);
9. Test 2 (1 h);
10. The analysis of geographic information. The possibilities and selection of design considerations in preparation of the final results of work done, development of cartographic and visual documentation and its quality assessment (1 h);
11. The geographic information systems in Latvia including legislation and terminology, current applications of geographic information systems in the national economy and development perspectives in the future (1 h);
12. Test 3 (1 h).

Laboratory works (12 h):
1. Search spatial data on the Internet, evaluate the quality of spatial data, import and integration it into the student's computer work environment, transformations, combine, editing (4 h).
2. Development and design of informational products, analytical activities in geographic information systems environment, creation, editing, integration of new data and information into informational products as based on the chosen topics (4 h).
3. Visual design of the obtained results, preparation of cartographic images and presentations, development and transformation into commonly used formats, and the creation of printouts and verification of the results (2 h).
4. Finalization of work done - presentation (2 h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Formal test with a grade.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent work (56 h):
Preparation for the tests;
Preparation of the laboratory works - research on the topic chosen by students:
1. Search of spatial data on the Internet, quality assessment of the spatial data of interest, import and integration into the student's computer work environment, transformations, combining, editing;
2. Development and design of informational products, analytical activities in geographic information systems environment, creation, editing and integration of new data and information into informational products, evaluation of the results;
3. Visual design of the obtained results, preparation of cartographic images and presentations, development and transformation into commonly used formats, as well as creation of printouts and verification of the results;
Finalization - preparation and defense of the presentation on the practical works completed including in the form of digital presentation and paper printout (at least 10 pages).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final evaluation and grade consists of:
• Formal test - written and oral on the questions received in the control question ticket.
• Results of the planned tests – 3.
• Result of the defense of the presentation on the practical work completed (on the topics acquired within the laboratory works and according to the topic chosen by the student).
Prerequisites for passing the formal test:
- successful evaluation of theoretical knowledge – three tests;
- the tasks of practical works are completed and approved (presentation);
Students give oral answers on the day of the formal test on the questions received in the control question ticket, which consists of 5 questions on the topics explained during the classes, evaluated using a 10-point scale.
The final grade of the study course will be based on the grades received in the formal test, three tests on theoretical knowledge and defense of the presentation on the practical work completed.
The final grade is calculated as an arithmetic mean of the evaluation results of the formal test, three tests on the theoretical knowledge (arithmetic mean of all three tests), and the presentation on the practical work completed.

Compulsory reading

1. Stūrmanis E. Ģeoinformācijas sistēmas. Jelgava: LLU, 2006., 90 lpp.
2. Ģeomātikas pamati: mācību līdzeklis., Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte. Rīga, 2006. 66 lpp.
3. Mūsdienu Latvijas topogrāfiskās kartes. Valsts zemes dienests. Rīga: VZD, 2001., 203 lpp.
4. Ģeotelpiskās informācijas likums: LR likums [tiešsaiste]. Pieņemts: 17.12.2009. Stājas spēkā: 13.01.2010. [Skatīts 30.03.2022.]. Pieejams: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/202999-geotelpiskas-informacijas-likums

Further reading

1. Fotogrammetrija: mūsdienu Latvijas topogrāfiskās kartes: . Rīga: VZD, 2003., 275 lpp.
2. Kraus K. Photogrammetrie., Band I., Dummler/Bonn: Grundlagen und Standartverfahren, 1998., 450 S.
3. Štrauhmanis J. Kartogrāfija: mācību līdzeklis. Rīga: RTU, 2004., 109 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. www.isprs.org;
2. www.eurosdr.ne;
3. žurnāls “Mērnieks” ISSN 1407-7124.

Notes

Full-time studies of the academic master's study programme “Environmental, Water and Land Engineering”