University of West Attica

Artificial Intelligence and Data Science

Geographic Information Science

Course info:

Semester: 6

Elective

ECTS: 6

Hours per week: 2

Professor: T.B.D.

Teaching style: Face to face, tutorials and project work

Grading: Final written exam (50%), Individual projects (30%), group exercises (20%)

 

Activity Workload
Lectures 20
Tutorials 6
Group work on Laboratory projects 54
Individual study 70
Course total 150

Learning Results

Upon successful completion of the course students:

  • will acquire knowledge of the principles, procedures and applications of the scientific field of Geographic Information Science.
  • will study applications of GIS to real problems, in order to acquire specialized problem-solving skills, which are required in research and/or innovation in order to develop new knowledge and processes, especially in multidisciplinary fields,
  • will acquire the necessary learning skills that will allow them to continue their studies in the field of GIS in an autonomous fashion, to a large extent.

Skills acquired

  • Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information, using the necessary technologies
  • Individual work
  • Group work
  • Work in an multi-disciplinary environment
  • Production of new research ideas
  • Creative and critical thinking

1. Geographical and Spatial Data and Information, Geoinformatics, Science of Geographical Information:

  • Basic principles and terminology, geospatial data sources, technologies and techniques for their collection.
  • Organization of Geospatial Information, models and structures.
  • Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, characteristics, definitions, evolution over time, categories and species, components, function, use.

2. Conceptual Codification:

  • Spatial and non-spatial properties. Characteristics of spatial entities.
  • Structure, relations and combinations of spatial entities, spatial changes, mechanisms of spatial data organization.

3. The Geometry of Spatial Information:

  • Geographical location, representation, dimensions, placement of geographical objects in spatial reference systems.
  • Vector models, point and distance perception, line and surface perception, topological relations.
  • Raster models and their topological relations.
  • Data entry subsystems, management of geometric information in a GIS environment, geodetic transformations.

4. Geospatial Databases – Models and Structures:

  • Architecture and structure of database management systems.
  • Design, development of spatial databases, introduction of descriptive information, connection to external databases, methods of correlation and connection of descriptive data.

5. Codification and Integration of Spatial Information:

  • Connection and correlations between Geometric and Descriptive Information.
  • Recognition and correction of errors – Topological integration.
  • Retrieval and update of geospatial information.
  • Spatial queries.
  • Geographic Information on the Internet (Web-GIS, Internet Mapping).
  • Specifications, Protocols, Structure, Diffusion and Interoperability.
  • National and international geographic data networks.

6. Principles of Analysis and Design of a GIS:

  • Terminology
  • General design
  • Identification of input elements.
  • Analysis of economic characteristics
  • Customization of the organization by group of users
  • Detailed system design
  • Metadata dictionaries
  • Related problems

7. Exercises / Project

  • Organization, classification, codification and normalization of geospatial information
  • Design and development of geospatial databases
  • Importing vector, raster and descriptive data into a geographic information system
  • Automation of geospatial information – Geometric topological relations and topological integration.
  • Retrieval, management and updating of geospatial information
  • Visual representation of geospatial information
  • Interoperability

  1. Bolstad, P., 2016. GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems, Fifth Edition, Eider Press.

  2. Kerski, J. & Clark, J., 2014. The GIS Guide to Public Domain Data. ESRI Press.

  3. Rigaux, P, Scholl, M, 2002, Spatial databases :with application to GIS, San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

  4. McDonnell, R, Kemp, K, International GIS dictionary Cambridge, [England] : GeoInformation International ; New York, NY : John Wiley & Sons , 1995.

  5. Kraak, M. J., Ormeling, F. J., 1996, Cartography: Visualization of spatial data, Harlow, Longman.

  6. http://eurogi.org/ (European Umbrella Organization for Geographic Information).

  7. http://www.opengeospatial.org/ (Open Geospatial Consortium).

  8. http://support.esri.com/other-resources/gis-dictionary/a (GIS Dictionary).

  9. http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/Publications/Tech_Reports/92/92-13.PDF (GIS Terminology).

  10. https://www.gislounge.com/open-source-gis-applications/ (Open Source GIS Software).

  11. https://www.gislounge.com/gis-software-applications/ (Commercial and Proprietary GIS Software).

  12. https://www.gislounge.com/bibliographies/ (Bibliographies).

Learning Results - Skills acquired

Learning Results

Upon successful completion of the course students:

  • will acquire knowledge of the principles, procedures and applications of the scientific field of Geographic Information Science.
  • will study applications of GIS to real problems, in order to acquire specialized problem-solving skills, which are required in research and/or innovation in order to develop new knowledge and processes, especially in multidisciplinary fields,
  • will acquire the necessary learning skills that will allow them to continue their studies in the field of GIS in an autonomous fashion, to a large extent.

Skills acquired

  • Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information, using the necessary technologies
  • Individual work
  • Group work
  • Work in an multi-disciplinary environment
  • Production of new research ideas
  • Creative and critical thinking
Course content

1. Geographical and Spatial Data and Information, Geoinformatics, Science of Geographical Information:

  • Basic principles and terminology, geospatial data sources, technologies and techniques for their collection.
  • Organization of Geospatial Information, models and structures.
  • Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, characteristics, definitions, evolution over time, categories and species, components, function, use.

2. Conceptual Codification:

  • Spatial and non-spatial properties. Characteristics of spatial entities.
  • Structure, relations and combinations of spatial entities, spatial changes, mechanisms of spatial data organization.

3. The Geometry of Spatial Information:

  • Geographical location, representation, dimensions, placement of geographical objects in spatial reference systems.
  • Vector models, point and distance perception, line and surface perception, topological relations.
  • Raster models and their topological relations.
  • Data entry subsystems, management of geometric information in a GIS environment, geodetic transformations.

4. Geospatial Databases – Models and Structures:

  • Architecture and structure of database management systems.
  • Design, development of spatial databases, introduction of descriptive information, connection to external databases, methods of correlation and connection of descriptive data.

5. Codification and Integration of Spatial Information:

  • Connection and correlations between Geometric and Descriptive Information.
  • Recognition and correction of errors – Topological integration.
  • Retrieval and update of geospatial information.
  • Spatial queries.
  • Geographic Information on the Internet (Web-GIS, Internet Mapping).
  • Specifications, Protocols, Structure, Diffusion and Interoperability.
  • National and international geographic data networks.

6. Principles of Analysis and Design of a GIS:

  • Terminology
  • General design
  • Identification of input elements.
  • Analysis of economic characteristics
  • Customization of the organization by group of users
  • Detailed system design
  • Metadata dictionaries
  • Related problems

7. Exercises / Project

  • Organization, classification, codification and normalization of geospatial information
  • Design and development of geospatial databases
  • Importing vector, raster and descriptive data into a geographic information system
  • Automation of geospatial information – Geometric topological relations and topological integration.
  • Retrieval, management and updating of geospatial information
  • Visual representation of geospatial information
  • Interoperability
Recommended bibliography

  1. Bolstad, P., 2016. GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems, Fifth Edition, Eider Press.

  2. Kerski, J. & Clark, J., 2014. The GIS Guide to Public Domain Data. ESRI Press.

  3. Rigaux, P, Scholl, M, 2002, Spatial databases :with application to GIS, San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

  4. McDonnell, R, Kemp, K, International GIS dictionary Cambridge, [England] : GeoInformation International ; New York, NY : John Wiley & Sons , 1995.

  5. Kraak, M. J., Ormeling, F. J., 1996, Cartography: Visualization of spatial data, Harlow, Longman.

  6. http://eurogi.org/ (European Umbrella Organization for Geographic Information).

  7. http://www.opengeospatial.org/ (Open Geospatial Consortium).

  8. http://support.esri.com/other-resources/gis-dictionary/a (GIS Dictionary).

  9. http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/Publications/Tech_Reports/92/92-13.PDF (GIS Terminology).

  10. https://www.gislounge.com/open-source-gis-applications/ (Open Source GIS Software).

  11. https://www.gislounge.com/gis-software-applications/ (Commercial and Proprietary GIS Software).

  12. https://www.gislounge.com/bibliographies/ (Bibliographies).