CCOG for GEO 170 archive revision 202104
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- Effective Term:
- Fall 2021 through Winter 2025
- Course Number:
- GEO 170
- Course Title:
- Maps and Geospatial Concepts
- Credit Hours:
- 4
- Lecture Hours:
- 30
- Lecture/Lab Hours:
- 0
- Lab Hours:
- 30
Course Description
Intended Outcomes for the course
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
- Interpret maps as tools for communication, cultural artifacts, and models of the Earth.
- Apply underlying map concepts to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other geospatial technologies to communicate geospatial information.
- Analyze and interpret a wide range of maps.
- Apply mapping and geospatial terminology.
- Examine cultural and environmental issues using an understanding of maps.
Social Inquiry and Analysis
Students completing an associate degree at Portland Community College will be able to apply methods of inquiry and analysis to examine social contexts and the diversity of human thought and experience.
General education philosophy statement
Geographic Techniques are embedded in a technological environment and focused on analyzing the world through a spatial context such as maps. Geospatial technologies and mapping challenge students to examine patterns of social, environmental, and cultural issues using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Students are required to know the difference between these different types of data in order to display it appropriately on a map and effectively communicate information. Students examine maps critically to understand their underlying biases, the potential misleading of information, and the impact of scale. By studying and creating maps, students learn about local and global issues, analyze patterns, and represent information visually.
Aspirational Goals
Students gain an appreciation and love for maps, how they are used, and how they are created.
Course Activities and Design
The material in this course will be presented in a computer lab setting with classroom lecture, discussion, software demos, academic and popular article review, multimedia, and computer-based projects. Other methods may be implemented such as research, reflection papers and small group work.
Outcome Assessment Strategies
Students will be expected to demonstrate mastery of themes, concepts, issues, competencies and skills by any combination of the following:
-
Project-based labs
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In class activities, discussions, and small group work
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Map critiques
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Exam and quizzes
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Themes, Concepts, Issues:
-
Types of maps
-
History of maps
-
Map interpretation
-
Map design & elements
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Coordinate Systems
-
Map Projections
-
Map scales
-
Web mapping
-
Global Positioning Systems
-
Remote Sensing & Photogrammetry
-
Geographic Information Systems
-
Land Surveying
-
Digital Landscapes
Competencies and Skills:
-
Critically examine maps and their intent
-
Use mapping software to create maps and spatial data
-
Identify purposes and distinguish characteristics of map projections
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Understand geographic and projected coordinate systems
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Recognize spatial data errors and (in)accuracies
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Apply concepts of scale in digital landscapes