Spatial Database Development

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Hugo Hawkins
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1 Spatial Database Development Teaching a Masters Course with a Focus on Career Development Today November 9, 2015 Professor Kate Doiron kdoiron@indecon.com

2 Qualifications -Senior GIS Specialist at Industrial Economics, Inc. Natural resource damage assessments Sea level rise modeling Ecosystem services valuations Data management -Background in non-profit conservation GIS -Masters in GIS for Development and the Environment from Clark University 2

3 The Challenge! Teach a masters level technical GIS geodatabase course and incorporate research/consulting career skill building. 1. Many technical GIS courses focus solely on software or analytical learning. 2. Writing, research, and communication skills are key to the types of GIS jobs masters level students seek out. 3. Teaching one without the other puts students at a disadvantage upon graduation. 3

4 Other Challenge: Teach a Course in Worcester in the Winter 4

5 Course Mission Create and maintain spatial databases containing real world data using professional consulting and academic practices. 5

6 Create and Maintain Spatial Databases Week 1 - Intro to Spatial Database Development/Logical Models Week 2 Building an ArcGIS Geodatabase Fast Paced Week 3 Populating a Geodatabase Week 4 Creating New Features/Other Databases Week 5 Georeferencing Week 6 Map Topology and Geometric Networks Week 7 Geodatabase Topology 6

7 Spatial Databases ArcGIS Geodatabases allow us to: Set specific entries for text based attributes Set ranges of numbers for numerical attributes Establish a projection for all data in the database Group similar datasets Set subtypes in a dataset for ease of editing Establish topological rules amongst the datasets within the database And more! With a database management system 7

8 Spatial Databases Is anyone else in here? Without a database 8

9 Spatial Databases: Two ways to associate data One projection can be set for all datasets Feature Dataset Feature Dataset Setting domains maintains database quality standards Domain Subtype Subtypes make it easier to edit the data With a database 9

10 Spatial Databases: Two ways to associate data Storing the data in a geodatabase allows the user to establish topological rules based on where the datasets are in space With a database 10

11 Use Real World Data and Research Requirements: 1. Ability to use the final project in the course to assist with their current research or career goals. 2. Gather and create at least three basemap data sets, and at least seven other datasets that support their research. 3. Complete a literature review of at least five relevant peer reviewed papers. 11

12 Final Project Choose your own adventure! Build a geodatabase that will be turned in with a paper at the end of the course. 1. Weekly assignments reflect skills learned each week and allow students to practice techniques on their own data. 2. Given that some GIS career paths tend toward academics/research and some towards consulting, I wanted students to get experience in their chosen path. a. Choose either a research path or a consulting path. b. Database assignments will be the same each week, but writing assignments will vary depending on their choice. 12

13 Build Professional Research and Consulting Skills Consulting Non-profit Research Continuing on to PhD/Prof. 13

14 Build Professional Consulting and Research Skills vs. Only one student went this route! 14

15 Build Professional Research and Consulting Skills Other Skills Worked on in the Course: 1. Weekly memo writing (graded heavily!) 2. Client meetings and notes 3. Complete final project document 4. Documentation and metadata 5. Video Conferencing 6. Networking! 15

16 One last important thing Networking: Everything that they do in this class can be thought of as networking. LinkedIn -- > Connect with me! Maintain connections to other professors at Clark Maintain connections to classmates (and set up a LinkedIn if you do not have one!) 16

17 Essential Career Takeaways from this Course 1. Final Paper Document = Technical writing sample 2. Geodatabase File = Example of technical GIS work 3. Experience writing project progress memos 4. Experience researching technical GIS articles 5. Solid expectations for what is required in consulting/non-profit work 17

18 Final Project Topics from 2015 GIS Analyses of Health Care Accessibility & Planning in Southeastern MA Geodatabase Design to Support Analyses of Urban Park Access Extraction in Ghana: Organizing the data Opportunities for Urban Agriculture: Creating a Spatial Database for Worcester Hurricane Storm Surge Risk in Massachusetts Geodatabase Development for Environmental Justice in Worcester Spatial Database for Managing Damaged Roads in Worcester, MA Accessibility of the Physical Activity Environment to Improve the Health of Worcester Residents Organizing Data for Vulnerability Analyses in Peru 18

19 Thank you and happy mapping! 19

ArcGIS Data Models Practical Templates for Implementing GIS Projects

ArcGIS Data Models Practical Templates for Implementing GIS Projects GIS Database Design According to C.J. Date (1995), database design deals with the logical representation of data in a database. The