Syllabus of GEO244 (Geographic Information Systems III)
Spring 0910 DePaul University
Meet at Monday/Wednesday 4:20-5:50 PM at Schmitt Academic Center 224 (GIS Lab)
Instructor
- Julie Hwang: instructor, ,office hour: T/Th 2:30-4 PM, her office is located at the 4th floor of 990 W Fullerton Building Room# 4513, phone: 773-325-8668
- Diana Maties: lab assistant, , lab hour: TBA
Course overview
GEO244 reviews concepts and methods of spatial analysis in GIS. This course highlights how GIS-based spatial analysis can be used to explore the spatial dimension of sustainability issues; examples include measuring access to public goods, exploring demographics in community, and monitoring air quality. We will focus on (a) the use of maps combined with other GIS operations, (b) different methods of measuring distance, (c) different techniques for exploring spatial pattern. The course will be organized around three group assignments from which students learn to apply methods of spatial analysis given problems at hand. Students should write a term paper which involves conducting preliminary analysis for scientific research on sustainability issues using GIS. The concept of sustainability will be discussed to facilitate writing process throughout the quarter. Compared to GEO241 and GEO242, this course emphasizes GIS-enabled spatial analysis (more precisely, the amalgamation of maps with spatial analysis) as a scientific method.
Learning goals
Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
- Learn terms related to GISat the intermediate/advanced level – e.g., Moran's I, Inverse distance weighting, Kriging, Kernel density estimation
- Learn concepts and methodsrelated to GISat the intermediate/advanced level – e.g., geographic visualization, distance (or nearness), exploratory spatial data analysis, spatial autocorrelation
- Develop skills for conducting spatial analysis– e.g., buffering, overlay, query, network analysis, simple statistical anlaysis, spatial interpolation, point pattern analysis
- Learn concepts and theories of sustainability– e.g., dimensions of sustainability, strong vs. weak sustainability condition
Liberal arts and academic values
- Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data for scientific investigation
Higher-order thinking skills
- Develop ability to apply GIS concepts and techniques to designing research on sustainability issues
- Develop analytic skills by applying methods of spatial analysis to sustainability issues
Required text
David W. Allen (2009), GIS Tutorial II: Spatial Analysis Workbook, ESRI Press (ISBN: 978-1589482012): available in a college bookstore. This is also on library course reserve with no ArcGIS software. This is mainly for homework designed to refresh your GIS skill sets that might have gotten rusty. This book comes with 180-day evaluation copy of ArcGIS 9.3, so you can do it at home without coming to GIS lab. Map & Data DVD is copied to all computers in GIS lab.
Other required and further readings are posted on the blackboard (under References tab).
Summary of topics
Week / GIS topic / Sustainability topic1-3 / Geographic visualization
- Thematic mapping
- Basic GIS operations
- Problem
- History
- Dimension
Group Assignment #1: Park and age composition in Chicago
4-5 / Proximity analysis
- Euclidean distance
- Network distance
- Capital
- Conditions
Group Assignment #2: Access to public transportation in Chicago
6-7 / Pattern analysis
- Exploratory spatial data analysis on lattice data (e.g., census data)
- Spatial interpolation on field data
- Point pattern analysis on object data (if time allows)
Group Assignment #3: A case for environmental justice?
8-9 / Further topic (if time allows)
- Spatial relationship
- Time
- Synthesis: framework of spatial analysis
10 / Final Paper: Sustainability analysis using GIS
Evaluation
- Group Assignments21% three assignments
- Term paper30% four milestones
- Exam20% during a final week
- Labs14% Allen tutorials in-class labs
- Participation15% attendance + class participation
- Peer evaluation on assignments-0+
Group Assignments
Given problems described below, students work together in the entire process of analyzing problems, gathering data, and conducting spatial analysis (including mapping). The group work will be evaluated on the basis of five-minute presentation in the class. Some in-class time will be given, but working outside of the class is expected.
Group Assignment #1: As a person who feels the benefit of living close to park or living in awareness of nature, I wonder what relationship exists between the access to park and demographic composition of population, particularly age. More specifically, I want to know which community has the highest number of parks and the lowest number of parks in Chicago, and what community might be in need of more parks given their demographic composition. In regard to demand for park, let's assume the percent of population under age 10 is only and most important factor for simplicity's sake. Your job is to present results that address my questions above.
Group Assignment #2: One way to achieve sustainability is to promote public transportation. More usage of public transportation allows the society to reduce gas emission, reduce traffic congestion, foster social equity, and enhance traffic safety. I wonder how well Chicago is doing in regard to the access to public transportation. More specifically, what percentage of Chicagoans is within walking distance to public transportation? For walking distance, use 0.5 miles in Euclidean distance, and 0.7 miles in network distance. What area of Chicago is especially in need for more public transportation?Present results so that my questions above are to be addressed.
Group Assignment #3: In this assignment, I want you to examine whether there is any case for environmental justice in the study area of your group's choice. You have to pick at least two variables - one for environmental quality (e.g., air pollution, toxic level), and the other for socioeconomic indicators (e.g., ethnicity, income). Compare how these two variables are spatially related. Report analysis results to confirm or refute the hypothsesis (any case for environmental justice?). Discuss pitfalls in drawing conclusions from analysis results.
Term paper
Write a term paper that examines the spatial dimension of sustainability issues using GIS and spatial analysis. Examples are illustrated by group assignments above. Two requirements need to be met. First, you should employ one or more methods of spatial analysis at the level of GEO244. For instance, the mere mapping is not good. One or more new methods of spatial analysis combined with mapping is good. Second, a topic should be related to sustainability.
A good way of getting started with choosing a topic related to sustainability is to look at sustainability from three lenses: (a) Themes (major categories of knowledge or subject matter): examples of sustainability themes are health, education, atmosphere, biodiversity, and governance. For instance, UN CSD indicators of sustainable development is organized around themes.(b) Issues (problems to be tackled): examples of sustainability issues include combating poverty, changing consumption patterns, and protecting the atmosphere. For instance, Agenda 21 (programs run by UN that were adopted during 1992 Earth Summit to advance sustainability) is organized around issues. (c) Programs (actions or policy measures taken to address problems): examples of sustainability programs are green building, smart growth, brownfield redevelopment, andurban farming.
Term papers from previous quartersdeal with spatial or spatiotemporal dimension of the following topics: TIFF and EPA remediate sites, food deserts, health effects of coal power plants, access to public transportation, environmental justice, changes in water quality, sustainable coastal tourism management, renewable energy and economic indicators, changes in income inequality, soil erosion and poverty, and community garden.
Milestones (see tentative schedules for due dates)
- P1: proposal – come up with a topic pertaining to sustainability, and frame one or more research questions (2 points out of 30)
- P2: data – revise research questions if needed, gather data suited to problems at hand, and assess data quality (3/30)
- P3: method – revise research questions if needed, revise data section if needed, and describe your plan for spatial analysis (5/30)
- P4: final paper – the paper should include at least introduction, data, method, results, and conclusion (20/30).
Exam: an exam will be a written test consisting mostly of essay questions. Sustainability topic is not included in the exam.The exam will be held during a final week.
Participation: an attendance sheet will be distributed every class, so be sure to sign on it to be accounted for.Discretionary credit will be also given to those conducive to group discussions.
Peer evaluation: a rating of your peers on the contribution to group assignments will be used to make adjustment on the final grade of individiuals.
No late work will be accepted unless excused. An instructor reserves the right to determine whether the late work can be accepted based on information provided. A makeup exam can be arranged only when credible dire and documented medical or family situations arise and these circumstances are communicated in a timely fashion. The same rule (underlined above) applies to granting an Incomplete (IN) grade.
Tentative schedules
Part 1. Geographic Visualization | Concepts of Sustainability
[1W] March 31
Before the class, read Kraak (2005). Focus on two things: (a) refresh your memory on principles of map design, for instance, how would you go about choosing color, size, and texture of map symbols?; (b) how has the role of maps changed due to GIS? An easy way of answering this question would be to compare maps with GIS to maps without GIS. What does GIS bring to maps? Try to decode MacEachren's map use cube in Fig 2 as much as you could. This reading will get you ready for map design parts of all group assignments as well as a term paper. The agenda of class includes:
- Talk on principles of map design (the first question above)
- Discussion on map use (the second question above)
- Overview of Group Assignment #1
- Work on Group Assignment #1
[2M] April 5
Before the class, do Allen tutorials 1-3, 2-1, 2-2, 2-4. These tutorials can be grouped under thematic mapping. 1-3 and 2-1 can be contrasted in terms of whether it maps category or quantity. 2-2 for setting data classification methods. 2-4 for chart map where the number of variables mapped is not limited to one. For instance, a pie chart map of ethnic composition can include White, Black, Asian, and American Indian. You will also learn to use definition query, set coordinate system, geocode xy data, and use statistics on attribute table. The goal is to refresh your memory on how to make thematic maps. Remember this part is a homework. In case you didn't get the text in a timely fashion, this part of Tutorials is posted as pdf file.
Read Meadows (1972), Daly (1973), and Orr (1992). The purpose of this reading is not to introduce what sustainability is (actually answering this question will require one semester class), but rather pose you the following question: "does sustainability matters, and if so why?" The first piece iswritted by scientists who believe in the power of modeling. The second piece is from an economist who believe that economic growth is the illusion. The third piece is from an influential sustainability education advocate (by the way he– David Orr – will visit DePaul LPC in April) who believe that sustainability cannot be achieved without fundamental change in value system. I hope you have something to say about sustainability upon reflection after reading. The class will be scheduled in the following order:
- Talk on the problem of sustainability
- Share your thought on sustainability
- Show your homework (Allen tutorials) to instructors
- Get together for Group Assignment #1
[2W] April 7
For homework, do Allen Tutorial 3-1, 3-2, 4-2. Tutorials 3-1 and 3-2 show how to make maps good for depicting density (Choropleth map with normalized data, dot density map). Tutorial 4-2 shows how to perform polygon overlay, which will be useful for doing Group Assignment #1 (park and community in this case).
Read Grainger (2005) p. 1-9. A good way of understanding sustainability is to keep track of what has happened in the arena ofsustainability discourse over time. Focus on how sustainability discourse began, and how it has evolved over time. Understand why many people say that sustainability is a contested concept, why the concept remains ambiguous, and what it (the ambiguity) means to analysts (the role you take in this class). The class will be scheduled as follows:
- Talk on the history of sustainability
- Share your thought on the concept of sustainability
- Show your Allen tutorial homework to instructors
- Work on Group Assignment #1
[3M] April 12
For homework, do Allen 5-3, 5-5, 5-6. These tutorials demonstrate basic GIS operations for proximity analysis, namely buffering and near tool. This will get you ready forGroup Assignment #2.
Read Grainger (2005) p. 10-13.This reading approaches sustainability concept from development theory. That is, the concept of sustainability (or sustainable development) can be understood by looking at how the notion of development has evolved. Think what the good development should consitute (by imagining that you're an international developer working in UN for instance). Be sure to distinguish the following terms: economic growth, economic development, and sustainable development. This will nicely introduceso-called triple bottom line of sustainability, that is economic, environmental, and social. The class will be scheduled as follows:
- Talk on the dimension of sustainability
- Share your thought on the dimension of sustainability
- Show your Allen tutorial homework to instructors
- Work on Group Assignment #1
[3W] April 14
If possible do Allen 5-8, 5-9 at home. These tutorials show how to perform network analysis. After building network dataset (this is a prerequisite of network analysis), you can conduct service area analysis (e.g., who's within 10 minute driving from a grocery store?), and closest facilities analysis (e.g., which fire station is closest to your place?). This can be contrasted to previous tutorials where distance is measured inan Euclidean sense while this one measures distance on transportation network.This homework should be done by the class on April 19.
There is no reading for sustainability. Arrange to meet your group members to finish up Group Assignment #1 outside of the class in prepration for presentation if needed. In the class, you will
- Make presentation onGroup Assignment #1– be sure to limit presentation to 5 minutes!
- Show your Allen tutorial homework to instructors if you're done. Otherwise, do Allen 5-8, 5-9 in the class.
Part 2.Proximity Analysis | Theories of Sustainability
[4M] April 19
If you're not done with network analysis (Allen Tutorial 5-8, 5-9), get it done before the class. Also be reminded that P1 (proposal) is due on April 26 (in a week).
Read Grainger (2005) p. 13-15. This reading introduces the concept of capital as a unifying thread of sustainability theory. Focus on how the concept of capital has evolved over time. Be sure to distinguish terms like man-made (built) capital, human capital, and natural capital. In the clas, we will
- Talk on capital as a unifying thread of sustainability theory
- Show your Allen tutorial homework (Tutorial 5-8, 5-9) to instructors if applicable
- Go over Group Assignment #2
- Get together for Group Assignment #2
[4W] April 21
Read Grainger (2005) p. 16-20. There are two sub-disciplines within economics that advance theories of sustainability, that is ecological economics and environmental economics. While they are similar in that nature should be accounted for in economic system, there are also different. Be sure to understand those differences. This will nicely introduce the so-called strong vs. weak sustainability conditions. We will do the following in the class:
- Talk on conditions of sustainability
- Share the thought on conditions of sustainability
- Work on Group Assignment #2
[5M] April 26
Finish upP1 (proposal). I encourage you to attend a lecture by David Orr in the campus on April 26 presumably before the class (the exact time is not known yet). Who knows it might inspire you for a fresh idea that your term paper could use?
- Turn in P1
- Work on Group Assignment #2
[5W] April 28
Be reminded that Group Assignment #2 is due. Arrange to get together with your group members to finish up Group Assignment#2 outside of the class if needed. In the class, you will
- Present Group Assignment #2
- Share your thought on P1 (proposal) to seek helpand advice
Part 3. Pattern Analysis| Sustainability Indicators
[6M] May 3 Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis
Read Anselin (2005). The reading introduces the concept of exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA), which is extremely useful for scientific investigation such as formulating hypothesis. For instance, looking at several thematic maps combined with descriptive statistics and graphs which are dynamitcally linked to data could inspire research idea (umm, I wonder what's going on over there) – a starting point of making scientific inquiry. Think how ESDA might be of use in doing your research on sustainability issues. In the class, we will
- Go over Group Assignment #3
- Talk on ESDA
- Share your thought on how you would use ESDA for your term paper
- Do lab exercise on ESDA, and show your work to instructors when finished
- Work on Group Assignment #3 if time allows
[6W] May 5 Spatial Interpolation
Read Burrough and McDonnell (1998). The reading covers methods of spatial interpolation (SI), the method for estimating z-value from sample point data of continuous phenomenon such as temperature and ozone level. Some distinctions are useful in understanding spatial interpolation methods, namely global vs. local, and deterministic vs. stochastic methods. In the class, we will
- Talk on spatial interpolation methods
- Do lab exercise on spatial interpolation methods, and show your work to instructors when finished
- Work on Group Assignment #3 if time allows
[7M] May 10
No reading, No lecture. Be reminded that P2 (data) is due on May 17 (in one week). In the class, you will
- Show ESDA and SI lab if you were not finished in previous classes.
- Talk on sustainability indicators if time allows
- Work on Group Assignment #3
[7W] May 12
Finish up Group Assignment #3 outside of the class in preparation for presentation. In the class, you will
- Make presentation on Group Assingment #3
- Share your thought on P2 (Data) to seek help and advice
Part 4. Term paper help
[8M] May 17 P2 (Data) due; P3 help; if time allows and demand exists, instructors will showcase more GIS studies for sustainability analysis on the topic of point pattern analysis, spatial relationship analysis, and time analysis,as well as sustainability indicators from now on.
[8W] May 19 P3 help
[9M] May 24 P3 (Method) due
[9W] May 26 P4 help
[10M] May 31 P4 help
[10W] June 2 P4 (final paper) due– in the class I will ask each of you to have five-minutes talk on your project.
[11W] June 9 Final exam 2:45-5:00 pm