This module has a twin focus on changes that have impacted on Geography and Environment over recent decades and how these have created opportunities for geographical and spatial investigation to address an expanding range of applications. Information technology, in particular GIS, is one of the major drivers of change and this module explores the application of GIS in a range of domains encompassing socio-demographic, economic, political, environmental, natural and anthropogenic hazard events. The module provides practical experience of using a broad spectrum of geospatial data and spatial analytic techniques in contexts related to ‘real world' problems and will articulate and develop authentic employability skills throughout the module curriculum content and through the assessments and feedback. Application areas may include, but are not limited to, area classification and geomarketing, crime mapping and geographical profiling, historical GIS, disease mapping, health care resourcing, environmental modelling and hazard mapping, mitigation and monitoring.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
This module is delivered through a series of lectures and ICT-based practical sessions: the lectures introduce key topics and students are guided to pursue these through additional reading and independent study. The ICT-based practical sessions allow students to learn and apply a range of analytical techniques at their own pace. Students develop their own independent project, which is related to the thematic content of the lectures and the skills acquired during the ICT-based practical sessions, for the purposes of assessment. Tutorials will provide pre-assessment briefings and post-assessment feedback. Students will be tutored in the production of an audio podcast for assessment B.
GIS-based skills are important employment skills for geography and environment students. This module has embedded a range of employability skills within the teaching and learning strategy. These include specific GIS skills, but more broadly develop the students' portfolio of digital literacy skills, developed incrementally from GG4010 Digital Earth and Spatial Analysis and GG5155 Cartography, Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis. More widely, the module highlights skills including teamwork and problem solving, time and project management, and written, oral and graphical communication (eg. cartography).
Canvas VLE will be used to support all aspects of learning and teaching, providing a platform for articulating the module syllabus, assessment and feedback, archiving module-related resources (eg. specific reading materials) and a digital discussion platform.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lecture Tutorial Practical | 17 3 42 |
| Guided independent study | 238 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
Summative assessment is through:
(A) A short precis (report) of a 'real world' use of GIS, delivered in class and submitted online (10%, 1000 words).
(B) An audio podcast demonstrating critical understanding of the merits and limitations of applying GIS and related geotechnologies (30%, 10 minutes).
(C) A coursework 'capstone' project report relating to a topic proposed individually by each student (60%, 3000 plus associated graphics).
Formative assessment includes:
(D) Formative practical exercises.
(E) Project report plan, explored through the module tutorials.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Describe how the underpinning concepts of GIS and related geotechnologies can be harnessed to develop applications addressing ‘real world' problems and highlighting the employment opportunities associated with the mastery of these skills. | (C) Capstone project supported by feedback (via the module tutorials) on the formative Project plan (E). |
| 2) Appraise the potential and limitations of GIS and related geotechnologies for transforming geography, environment and environmental hazards in different contexts. | (B) Audio podcast informed by the module tutorials and the formative practical exercises (D). |
| 3) Apply spatial analytic techniques to a range of geospatial data sources to answer contemporary and historical research questions. | (A) Precis report, (B) audio podcast and (C) capstone project informed by the feedback from formative assessments (D) and (E). |
| 4) Describe, model and interpret the uneven spatial distribution of geographic events such as crime, disease, deprivation, land cover, hazardous events and pollution. | (A) Precis report, (B) audio podcast and (C) capstone project informed by the feedback from formative assessments (D) and (E). |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Short precis report | Coursework | 10 |
| Audio podcast | Coursework | 30 |
| Capstone project | Coursework | 60 |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Longley PA, Goodchild MF, Maguire DJ, and Rhind DW (2015). Geographic Information Science and Systems. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Clifford N, Cope M, Gillespie TW and French S (2016) Key Methods in Geography. (3rd ed). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Chainey S and Thompson LJ (2008). Crime Mapping Case Studies: Practice and Research. John Wiley, Chichester.
Cromley, E, McLafferty, S (2011). GIS and Public Health. (2nd ed). New York: The Guilford Press.
Greene RW (2002) Confronting Catastrophe: a GIS Handbook, ESRI Press, Redlands, USA.
Gregory IN and Geddes A (eds) (2014). Toward Spatial Humanities: Historical GIS and Spatial History, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, USA.
Nyerges TL, Couclelis H and McMaster R (2011). The SAGE Handbook of GIS and Society. SAGE, London.
Scally R (2009). GIS for Environmental Management, ESRI Press, Redlands, USA.
Schanze J, Zeman E and Marsalek, J (eds) (2006). Flood Risk Management: Hazards, Vulnerability and Mitigation Measures, Springer, New York, USA.
Vazquez-Brust DA, Plaza-Ubeda, JA, de Burgos-Jimenez J and Natenzon CE, (eds) (2011). Business and Environmental Risks: Spatial Interactions Between Environmental Hazards and Social Vulnerabilities in Ibero-America. Springer, New York, USA.