Overview
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) power decision making for a massive raft of earth and human system interactions in research, government and industry – far beyond the cartographic public face that is Google maps. You will be gain introductory practical skill in making electronic maps and analysing geographical data. You will explore key mapping concepts that underpin GIS, as well as practice some of the key map communication standards that are as important today as they were for Geradus Mercator in the 16th century.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: Minimum of 18 Units of Credit
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student feedback.
Explaining the relevance of GIS to disciplines beyond environmental management and town planning would be more engaging to a wider range of students (i.e public health).
In each week of the term provide a wider range of organisational use of GIS as examples - particularly employment related.
Feedback from Student feedback.
Add more instruction on cartography and mapping aesthetic practice - and advise students where assessment feedback is stored in Moodle.
Add/describe an exemplar of cartographic practice to the learning activities. Update the assessment instructions to note where lecturer assessment feedback is stored in the Moodle site.
Feedback from Student feedback.
The textbook is US-centric and further relevant Australian mapping data manipulation practice would be useful. The unit proceeds as a 'step-by-step-how-to-do' sequence and skills practice beyond the textbook would consolidate skills acquisition.
The secret to teaching a software skills acquisition unit by distance education is a textbook with a good instructional design. The prescribed textbook fits that description - but it is US-centric. The assessment portfolios will be restructured to add further 'beyond textbook' exercises using AU mapping data - without adding to the current extensive workload for the student.
Feedback from Student feedback.
Some students wanted to explore advanced GIS and digital mapping skills.
GEOG19021 is intentionally an introduction to GIS to suit a wide range of student disciplines. A new 'Spatial Analysis' unit is being designed and, subject to CQUniversity approval processes, could be ready by 2020. This unit will provide advanced GIS skills acquisition. In time other CQU schools will introduce GIS use in their discipline domain advanced studies for which GEOG19021 should be a prerequisite.
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
Nil
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 10% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 15% | ||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 4 - Practical Assessment - 25% | ||||
| 5 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 10% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 15% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Practical Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 5 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop
Edition: 5 (2018)
Authors: Michael Law, Amy Collins
ESRI Press
Redlands Redlands , California , The United States of America
ISBN: 9781589485105
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
The online student must obtain a new textbook because a downloaded software licence is contingent on the new book. If a student purchases a second-hand book then they will not be able to acquire the ESRI ArcGIS license essential for the learning materials and assessment tasks.
The student needs to have access to a newer Windows-based computer. The Apple Mac user will have difficulty unless they are very IT literate and know how to use an unsupported Windows emulation partition on a Mac computer. If a student does not know what this prior sentence means, that student is not so qualified! The lecturer (nor TaSAC) can provide help for Mac users. ESRI ArcGIS does not run on a mac!
It is possible that a student with access to a PC laboratory at a CQUniversity campus for a significant could access the CQU ESRI ArcGIS license - but this will require exercise data transfer from the lecturer. The student should contact the lecturer for advice in this scenario.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- A personal computer with Windows 7 or 10 to use the ArcGIS software. ArcGIS does not run on Apple hardware. Contact the unit co-ordinator if this constitutes a difficulty.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.hewson@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Chapter
Selected maps, videos and readings will be made available supplementing the prescribed textbook learning activities for each of the following weeks.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Digital Maps and GIS
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Interacting with Geographic Data
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Geographic Co-ordinate Systems and Projections
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Mapping Features – Symbols, Labels and Classification
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vacation week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cartography
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Creating and Editing Features
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Geographical Answers – Querying and Selecting Features
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Geographical Answers – Relating Data
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Geographical Answers – Spatial Analysis - Vector Data
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Geographical Answers – Spatial Analysis - Raster Data
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Spatial Systems - Emerging Trends
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
It is very important that the **new** Edition 5 of the prescribed text book is purchased and received as soon as possible. From week 1, the learning activities and the assessment of this unit rely entirely on the textbook provided coded key that allows the student to download a time-limited, trial edition of ArcGIS as well as the essential exercise data to be used for the unit assessment. Note that a second-hand textbook should not be purchased - as the essential coded key will not be available to the later owner. Further, any textbook edition other than edition 5 will not provide the student with the correct materials for the assessment of this unit. You will need Edition 5.
Students are required to have access to a personal computer using Microsoft Windows 7 or 10 as its operating system. ArcGIS will not run in an Apple environment. If this requirement constitutes a difficulty, you should contact the unit coordinator as soon as possible. It is important to note that ArcGIS is a sophisticated software system and requires a reasonably current PC on which to run.
Students are expected to have a working knowledge of file handling in Windows 10 including website files downloading, the Windows File Manager and the Windows 10 downloads folder.
1 Practical Assessment
Portfolio #1 has two components:
(1) Short answer questions; and
(2) GIS map output (being the result of undertaking the learning activities).
The material being assessed in Portfolio #1 comes from the learning activities of weeks 2 and 3 of the unit tuition.
The portfolio will be submitted via Moodle as a single *.pdf file - the GEOG19021 Moodle site will only allow PDF file submission.
Submit only the requested portfolio answers. They are a clearly identified subset of the exercises you undertake each week – do not submit all the weekly learning activity.
Week 4 Friday (9 Aug 2019) 11:00 pm AEST
Submit Portfolio #1 via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
Vacation Week Friday (23 Aug 2019)
Feedback will be returned via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
The assessment standards and marking criteria are further described in the GEOG19021 Moodle site – in summary:
1. Short answers:
· correct answer;
· completeness of discussion with respect to the learning material;
· within word limits; and
· sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer.
2. GIS maps:
· completeness of the maps with respect to the learning material and the context of the instructions of the textbook;
· compliance with cartographic standards (relevant to Portfolio); and
· scaled suitably to address the question and "tell the story" to the map readership.
Marks will be deducted at a rate of 1 mark within every 24 hours that the submission is later than the due or approved extension date/time. For example - an assessment submitted 16 hours after the due date/time will be penalised 1 mark – at 32 hours, 2 marks and so on.
Marks may be deducted if the maps are difficult to read – this includes poor choices for formatting legends, symbols/labels or map choropleths (colour design).
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Practical Assessment
Portfolio #2 has two components:
(1) Short answer questions; and
(2) GIS map output (being the result of undertaking the learning activities).
The material being assessed in Portfolio #2 comes from the learning activities of weeks 4 and 5 of the unit tuition.
The portfolio will be submitted via Moodle as a single *.pdf file - the GEOG19021 Moodle site will only allow PDF file submission.
Submit only the requested portfolio answers. They are a clearly identified subset of the exercises you undertake each week – do not submit all the weekly learning activity.
Week 6 Friday (30 Aug 2019) 11:00 pm AEST
Submit Portfolio #2 via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
Week 8 Friday (13 Sept 2019)
Feedback will be returned via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
The assessment standards and marking criteria are further described in the GEOG19021 Moodle site – in summary:
1. Short answers:
· correct answer;
· completeness of discussion with respect to the learning material;
· within word limits; and
· sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer.
2. GIS maps:
· completeness of the maps with respect to the learning material and the context of the instructions of the textbook;
· compliance with cartographic standards (relevant to Portfolio); and
· scaled suitably to address the question and "tell the story" to the map readership.
Marks will be deducted at a rate of 1 mark within every 24 hours that the submission is later than the due or approved extension date/time. For example - an assessment submitted 16 hours after the due date/time will be penalised 1 mark – at 32 hours, 2 marks and so on.
Marks may be deducted if the maps are difficult to read – this includes poor choices for formatting legends, symbols/labels or map choropleths (colour design).
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
3 Practical Assessment
Portfolio #3 has two components:
(1) Short answer questions; and
(2) GIS map output (being the result of undertaking the learning activities).
The material being assessed in Portfolio #3 comes from the learning activities of week 6 of the unit tuition.
The portfolio will be submitted via Moodle as a single *.pdf file - the GEOG19021 Moodle site will only allow PDF file submission.
Submit only the requested portfolio answers. They are a clearly identified subset of the exercises you undertake each week – do not submit all the weekly learning activity.
Week 8 Friday (13 Sept 2019) 11:00 pm AEST
Submit Portfolio #3 via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
Week 10 Friday (27 Sept 2019)
Feedback will be returned via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
The assessment standards and marking criteria are further described in the GEOG19021 Moodle site – in summary:
1. Short answers:
· correct answer;
· completeness of discussion with respect to the learning material;
· within word limits; and
· sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer.
2. GIS maps:
· completeness of the maps with respect to the learning material and the context of the instructions of the textbook;
· compliance with cartographic standards (relevant to Portfolio); and
· scaled suitably to address the question and "tell the story" to the map readership.
Marks will be deducted at a rate of 1 mark within every 24 hours that the submission is later than the due or approved extension date/time. For example - an assessment submitted 16 hours after the due date/time will be penalised 1 mark – at 32 hours, 2 marks and so on.
Marks may be deducted if the maps are difficult to read – this includes poor choices for formatting legends, symbols/labels or map choropleths (colour design).
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
4 Practical Assessment
Portfolio #4 has two components:
(1) Short answer questions; and
(2) GIS map output (being the result of undertaking the learning activities).
The material being assessed in Portfolio #4 comes from the learning activities of weeks 7 and 8 of the unit tuition.
The portfolio will be submitted via Moodle as a single *.pdf file - the GEOG19021 Moodle site will only allow PDF file submission.
Submit only the requested portfolio answers. They are a clearly identified subset of the exercises you undertake each week – do not submit all the weekly learning activity.
Week 10 Friday (27 Sept 2019) 11:00 pm AEST
Submit Portfolio #4 via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
Week 12 Friday (11 Oct 2019)
Feedback will be returned via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
The assessment standards and marking criteria are further described in the GEOG19021 Moodle site – in summary:
1. Short answers:
· correct answer;
· completeness of discussion with respect to the learning material;
· within word limits; and
· sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer.
2. GIS maps:
· completeness of the maps with respect to the learning material and the context of the instructions of the textbook;
· compliance with cartographic standards (relevant to Portfolio); and
· scaled suitably to address the question and "tell the story" to the map readership.
Marks will be deducted at a rate of 1 mark within every 24 hours that the submission is later than the due or approved extension date/time. For example - an assessment submitted 16 hours after the due date/time will be penalised 1 mark – at 32 hours, 2 marks and so on.
Marks may be deducted if the maps are difficult to read – this includes poor choices for formatting legends, symbols/labels or map choropleths (colour design).
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
5 Practical Assessment
Portfolio #5 has three components:
(1) Short answer questions;
(2) GIS map output (being the result of undertaking the learning activities); and
(3) a map production based on provided data and requirements.
The material being assessed in Portfolio #1 comes from the learning activities of weeks 9, 10 and 11 of the unit tuition (as well as the whole unit for task 3).
The portfolio will be submitted via Moodle as a single *.pdf file - the GEOG19021 Moodle site will only allow PDF file submission.
Submit only the requested portfolio answers. They are a clearly identified subset of the exercises you undertake each week – do not submit all the weekly learning activity.
Review/Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2019) 11:00 pm AEST
Submit Portfolio #5 via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
Exam Week Monday (21 Oct 2019)
Feedback will be returned via the GEOG19021 Moodle site.
The assessment standards and marking criteria are further described in the GEOG19021 Moodle site – in summary:
1. Short answers:
· correct answer;
· completeness of discussion with respect to the learning material;
· within word limits; and
· sentence construction, argument structure and readability of the short answer.
2. GIS maps (including the task 3 map):
· completeness of the maps with respect to the learning material and the context of the instructions of the textbook – as well as the extent to which it fulfils the task 3 map documented ‘customer requirements’;
· compliance with cartographic standards (relevant to Portfolio);
· scaled suitably to address the question and "tell the story" to the map readership.
Marks will be deducted at a rate of 1 mark within every 24 hours that the submission is later than the due or approved extension date/time. For example - an assessment submitted 16 hours after the due date/time will be penalised 1 mark – at 32 hours, 2 marks and so on.
Marks may be deducted if the maps are difficult to read – this includes poor choices for formatting legends, symbols/labels or map choropleths (colour design).
- Explain how earth measurement theory underpins the production of electronic maps;
- Replicate a range of GIS mapping operations using point, line, polygon and raster data samples;
- Reproduce GIS based maps that meet cartographic theory, standards and practice;
- Solve introductory spatial analysis problems using GIS data management and manipulation functions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
