Syllabus - GIS 251 Computer Graphics and Mapping

Instructor: Pete Kennedy
Email:pkennedy@haywood.edu
Phone: (828) 565-4219
Fax: (828) 627-4690
Office Location: Haywood Community College, 400 Building, Room 418
Physical Address: 185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde, NC 28721

Section: IN1
Credits: 2 (1 hours lecture / 2 hours lab = 3 total contacts)
Prerequisites / Corequisites: None

Office Hours: Monday - Wednesday 11:00 a.m. - noon and 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm or by appointment. This course is an online course and as such, many students will be working on the course in non-traditional times such as evenings and weekends. I will do my best to be available to you if needed during those times. Please set up and appointment and we can talk on the phone, meet in my office or work together via an interactive internet 'chat' session.

My general work schedule is 8:30-5:00 M-F however, with other obligations such as meetings, recruiting, teaching etc... my availability may be sporadic at some times of the day. Please give enough notice and I will make every effort to be here whenever you need.

If I do not answer the phone, please leave a detailed message and don't forget your name and phone number!

Office Hours and Skype: A great way to communicate with me during office hours is skype.

My Skype Name: kennedy.pete

What is Skype you say ... click here to go to the recommended software section?

Directions to campus

Map of campus

Course Description: This course introduces the various methods and techniques of computer assisted and generated images. Emphasis is placed upon know of and use of draw and paint software, basic word processing, and map production. Upon completion, students should be able to produce and utilize computer generated images.

Course Goals:

We will explore several ways of presenting geographic information graphically. There are many new and cutting edge technologies that are being used to create computer generated images of geographic information. We will look at many of these during the course of the semester and explore them through project work. We will also focus on the fundamental elements of map design as discussed in the text for this class.

Textbook(s):

making maps: a visual guide to map design for gis. john krygier denis wood guilford publications isbn = 1593852002 . Order the book online through the HCC bookstore or you can get it on amazon.com

Required Google Account:

Create a Google email account using some combination of your first name and last name. Mine, for instance, is kennedy.pete@gmail.com. To do this go to https://www.google.com/accounts/SmsMailSignup1

You will be required to provide your cell phone number. If you do not have one, I will send you an invitation to get a gmail account. If you already have a Google email account, feel free to use it.

Required Software:

• ESRI ArcGIS 9.0 or higher - If you do not have access to this software at work or home, you must buy the Student Version of the software from ESRI. YOU WILL NEED THIS SOFTWARE BY THE SECOND WEEK OF CLASSES. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
• Google Earth
• Google SketchUp
• Adobe Photoshop - Trial Version - DO NOT INSTALL UNTIL ASKED TO OR YOUR VERSION WILL TIME OUT BEFORE WE USE IT
• Several other free or trial softwares
• Microsoft MediaPlayer 7.0 or higher (FREE)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (FREE)
• Apple QuickTime Player (FREE)
• Flash Player (FREE)
• A Web Browser, such as FireFox, Netscape or Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer recommended

Required Hardware:

The recommended requirements from ESRI are a Pentium computer with a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, and approximately 700 MB of free disk space.

My personal experience is that you need to double that amount of RAM to 1 Gigabyte.

Recommended Software:

• Microsoft Office 2003 student edition or Open Office (FREE office Suite - allows opening and saving of office documents like .doc and .xls)

• Skype - Skype is a little program for making free calls over the internet to anyone else who also has Skype.

  What is Skype?

  Skype allows people to make calls over the internet. The basic service allows Skype users to call other Skype users. To become a Skype user, you just need to download the Skype software free-of-charge from skype.com. The Skype service itself is completely free, so the user pays only for their internet usage, which is often free - in which case they can make free international phone calls!

  To make calls, you must have a headset speakers you may be able to use your computer alone. Mine does not have a microphone so I have a heaset. SKYPE ADVANTAGES: IT IS FREE. The ability to 'instant message' or 'chat online' with the person while talking. This allows you to do things like post a website to look at simlutaneously and you can also transfer files back and forth during the session. This is all very useful whsen talking through lab/practical exercise.

*the instant message/chat feature is still very useful even if you don't have a microphone on your computer or a headset to do audio!

• High speed internet connection (DSL or cable); the nature of some content (especially GIS data sets) makes it extremely time consuming to download via dial-up; in order to maximize your educational experience I highly recommend a broadband connection if it is available in your area.

Other required materials: None

Units of study: This course is based around MODULES. You will have a week or more to do each module. Some modules require more work than others, so you should evaluate the assignment early in the week to make sure that you are not pressed for time near the end. Also when planning, it is also important to consider the other course requirements in addition to the modules like the midterm, final exam and project. The Modules Link under the course menu provides a more complete description of the modules.

What is a module ???: Good question. A module is the instructors attempt to present the information in a manner that will accelerate your learning of the material. The time commitment for each module will vary from week to week, but a student can expect that 8-9 hours of effort per week will be required to master the material . The modules will always have the same format (items for each module will vary from week to week). There will be Module Objectives and and Introduction to the module which will provide a learning framework for the module. Next, there will be module steps that you will need to complete. The module steps will include some or all of the following components:

Introduction - provides the learning framework for each module

Learning objectives - what you should be able to do after completion of the module

Reading Assignment

• Website - Reading from the world-wide-web
• makingMap-A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS-. John Krygier and Denis Wood

Active Learning Exercises / Assignments- These are the lab work for this online class. They will incorporate interactive internet resources, software exercises and other lab/project work.

Study Questions - These questions will cover the reading and lab work. These are to be turned in for a grade.

Supplemental resources - additional materials related to the weeks topic such as websites, newspaper articles, or journal submissions.

Extras - normally an interactive learning experience such as video clips and other types of multimedia intended to enhance the learning environment.

Discussion Board (not in all modules) - there will be several discussion board topics posted throughout the semester. These will provide an opportunity for interaction with the instructor and other students. To get full credit for the discussion board portion of this class you will be expected to make a substantive responses and contribute to the discussion. Responding to other students comments as well as making your own comments and observations is a good way to promote stimulating and meaningful discussion as well as to ensure you get the entire 5% of the discussion board portion of this class.

• Be sure that you post your answers or replies in the correct place!
• As always, please take the time to be polite, to avoid profanity, and to make sure that your postings are clear, understandable, and relevant!

Quizzes - There will be a quiz for each Virtual Campus module. You will submit those as part of your overall quiz grade and there may be other quizzes during the other parts of the course.

In addition to the quizzes, there will be a midterm and a final. The midterm will include selected questions from all the quizzes up to that point (modules 1-7) and the final will include selected questions from all previous modules (1-13). In addition to these selected questions from previous quizzes, the midterm and final will have 1-2 discussion questions per chapter that will evaluate a deeper understanding of the material.

The midterm and final will be available to student for 5 days. These tests are scheduled so the test is available for at least one day during a weekend.

A bit about Online Learning:

Taking an online class incorporates a different learning environment than a traditional 'seated' course. In the traditional setting, you are probably used to hearing a lecture, taking notes and having the instructor provide insight and clarity to topics in the chapter and overall book. In the online environment, the student must take the initiative to explore, read, ponder and ask questions of the material. The instructor is seen more as a 'facilitator' than a teacher. Many limitations enforced by the traditional classroom setting are removed by the online approach as you can incorporate the 'world-wide-web', multimedia content, streaming video, lives chat's and much much more. This doesn't even mention the flexibility the online environment provides for the student.

Is it less work? No. Is it harder. No, it's a differnt kind of learning. It is self-learning with direction from the facilitator (instructor). The student must try, try and try again. It is a lot of experimentation and exploring. It fosters critical thinking and problem solving like no other learning environment can. Get ready for this exciting exploration of GIS!

If you want to learn more, please read Traditional Versus Online Instruction - Contributed by Tracy Marshall, Adjunct Instructor, Social Science Division, Henry Ford Community College

Grammar / Spelling / Typos:

Always make sure to check your spelling and grammar using Microsoft Word, http://www.dictionary.com/, or a traditional dictionary. Always take the time necessary to ensure you do not have typos and other errors in your assignments.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!! Now is the time to start building positive habits when preparing documents for others to review. This is important in school and even more important in other parts of life such as work.

Semester Schedule:

*****Proposed schedule: Tentative and subject to change******

Module Dates:

Module / Week	makingMAPS- book	Assigned	Due
Introductory	Course Introduction	Monday, January 8th	4:00 p.m. - Monday, January 15th
1	Chapter 1	Tuesday, January 16th	Sunday, January 21st
2	Chapter 2	Monday, January 22nd	Sunday, January 28th
3	Chapter 3	Monday, January 29th	Sunday, February 4th
4	Chapter 4	Monday, February 5th	Sunday, February 11th
5	Chapter 5	Monday, February 12th	Sunday, February 18th
6	Chapter 6	Monday, February 19th	Sunday, February 25th
7	Chapter 7	Monday, February 26th	Sunday, March 4th
8	Chapter 8	Monday, March 5th	Sunday, March 11th
9	Chapter 9	Monday, March 12th	Sunday, March 18th
10	Chapter 10	Monday, March 26th	Sunday, April 1st
11	Chapter 11	Monday, April 2nd	Sunday, April 8th
12	Chapter 12	Monday, April 9th	Sunday, April 15th
13	project work	Monday, April 16th	Sunday, April 22nd
14	project work	Monday, April 23rd	Sunday, May 6th

Other Important Dates:

HOP DUE:	4:00 p.m. - Monday, January 15th
Spring Break	March 19th - 23rd
Midterm Exam	The week of March 5th
Final Exam	The week of May 1st

Methods of Evaluation:

• Discussion board - 5%
• Quizzes - 20%
• Homework Exercises / Project work / Active Learning Exercises - 15%
• Midterm - 20%
• Final - 20%

Grading Scale:

A	90 - 100
B	80 - 90
C	70 - 80
D	60 - 70
F	0 - 60

Areas of evaluation: Students will be evaluated on their progress towards the learning objectives for each module and the course competencies covered in that particular module. Evaluation for overall concepts from the reading materials and vocabulary will be in through the weekly assignments and/or quizzes.

The exams will cover student progress to date. The midterm will cover all information covered up to that date. The final exam is comprehensive and is the final evaluation on student progress towards course competencies.

Academic Integrity Policy:

Students may not engage in academic dishonesty. The HCC Student Handbook defines Academic Dishonesty as "Taking or acquiring possession of any academic material (test information, research papers, notes, etc.) from a member of the college staff or student body without permission; receiving or giving help during tests; submitting papers or reports (that are supposed to be original work) that are not entirely the student?s own; not giving credit for others work (plagiarism):"( Student Handbook 05-06 ). Students who violate the Academic Integrity Policy will be sent to Dr. Janice Gilliam, VP of Student Services, for expulsion from the college or other sanction.

Access/Disability Policy:
The college complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which stipulate that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a handicap. Disabilities covered by law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, psychological disabilities, and hearing, sight or mobility impairments.

If you have a documented disability that may have some impact on your work in this course and for which you may require accommodations, please contact the Coordinator of Counseling Services in the Student Services Building (call at 627-4504 or email mailto:pkirkley@haywood.edu) so that reasonable accommodations can be arranged. You will be required to provide documentation to receive accommodations.

College Policies

Please review the HCC catalog and the HCC Student Handbook for critical information about attending HCC. You may get copies of these in Student Services or online at www.haywood.edu. Upon enrolling at HCC, you agree to abide by the Student Code of Conduct (pages 81-89) in the handbook and the Rules and Regulations of the College in the Catalog. Violation of the drugs, alcohol or weapons policy, or academic dishonesty may result in expulsion.

Late Work Policy

Any late work is marked down 25%. Assignments can not be made up after they are more than two weeks late. The only possible exception is if I am informed IN ADVANCE that an assignment will be late and there is a valid excuse. If you know that you will be out of town without email access, for instance, and let me know ahead of time, I will take that into account. However, I will NOT make exceptions to the late policy if students inform me of their situation only after the assignment was due.

Communication is everything in online classes!

Attendance Policy
Students who do not complete the HOP assignment will be listed as NS (no show) and dropped from the course. They will not receive financial aid for this course.

Students who miss two consecutive weeks of class without contacting the instructor will receive a grade of W (withdrawal) for that course. Students who fail to meet attendance requirements after the "last day to withdraw from a course," as set forth in the Academic Calendar, will receive a WF (withdrawal failing). WF grades are counted in a student's GPA and usually transfer as an F.

You or your program may set further attendance policies, such as making attendance a percentage of student grades. If so, clearly state what qualifies as an "absence," how many are permitted, etc.

Drops and Withdrawals

Students must drop a course before the first day of class in order to receive a 100% refund. A 75% refund may be issued for courses dropped before the 10% date, as set forth in the Academic Calendar. After the 10% point, the instructor must sign the drop form and a W (withdrawal) grade is given for the course on the transcript; no refund is given after the 10% point. Students may not drop a course after the "last day to withdraw from a course," as set forth in the Academic Calendar. Students who cease participating after that date will receive a WF (withdrawal failing). WF grades are counted in a student's GPA and usually transfer as an F.

Final Grades

Grades are not mailed. You may access grades, unofficial transcripts, and schedules online by going to www.haywood.edu. Click on "Academic Information" and follow the "Check Grades" instructions.

Financial Aid

Financial aid cannot be awarded for a course with a CE (credit by exam) or AUD (audit) grade. Students who do not participate in class before the 10% date or do not complete the HOP assignment on time in an online course will not receive financial aid for that course.

Workforce Development and/or Entrepreneurial skills

The Haywood Community College faculty is committed to teaching workforce development and / or entrepreneurial skills to students. These skills include, but are not limited to teamwork, responsibility, problem solving, information processing, and adaptability. This class will concentrate on the following workforce development or entrepreneurial skills:

· problem-solving

· critical thinking

· adaptability

E-mail: - Since this is a distance education course, much of the communication between instructor and student will take place via e-mail. I will respond to your e-mail within 24 hours or less (usually less) Monday - Friday and within 36 hours or less (usually less) on Saturday and Sunday.

If there is occassion during the semester when I will be unavailable for longer periods (some weekends I may go camping or boating) - I will let you know (one time I won't be available is listed already in the 'other important dates'.

IMPORTANT! When you send me an email, please include you name and the course you are taking in the subject line. I have lots of students in different classes and it can get very confusing with all the emails I receive.

Help Desk

Use the Help Desk link on your menu at the left whenever you have technology problems, problems with Blackboard, or questions about HCC policies or procedures. You may also want to use that link to see the various free software and other resources that it makes available to you. Remember, if you have questions ABOUT THIS COURSE, you should contact your instructor, not the Help Desk.

How to approach this class:

This is a 3 credit class. That is equal to 4 student/teacher contacts per week (2 lecture hours and 2 lab hours equal the 3 total credits). That means, in a traditional seated class would meet for 4 hours / week. In addition to that time the student would be expected to do work outside of class (homework) equaling 4 - 6 hours per week (1-2 hours / lecture hour / week). This time estimate depends on students prior computer skills and knowledge of the subject matter. With this online class you should expect to spend as much time if not more. The best approach is to set aside approximately 1 hour / day to work on the class. Get up early and do it with a cup of coffee or sit down and do it at the end of the day. If you are having problems or get behind, contact me immediately and let me know. Communication between the instructor and student is most important in a distance learning / online environment. If I don't know anything is wrong, I can't help.

• REMEMBER - HAVE FUN WITH IT! it's neat, fun and exciting technology!