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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Subject: | Re: [gislist] Support for non-certified instructors to teach GIS
classes |
| Date: |
02/14/2007 01:55:00 PM |
| From: |
Julia Harrell |
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Hi Scott
Lack of funding for GIS training is a common issue that we all face, and
it seems to be getting worse each year...
What we did last year was to have all of our prospective trainees
(around 60) purchase a book by Maribeth H. Price, "Mastering ArcGIS with
Video Clips on CD-ROM" for around $60. We had the students read the
chapters before class, and then the instructors went through the
powerpoint lectures that came with the book and had the students work
through the exercises in class, so instructors could answer questions
and help when students got stuck. A colleague and I shared the role of
instructor, although this material is well-suited and probably intended
for solo self study.
We realized that a large segment of the potential GIS user population in
our organization simply would or could not take the time to work through
online or self study courses on their own. Many prefer to be led by the
hand - or nose, in a few "special" cases, through the material in a
classroom setting. Another reason we liked the option of using this book
is because we didn't have to spend any of our very scarce time writing
lectures and exercises. The accompanying CD of exercise videos is also
something the students can review at a later date if they forget how to
do something.
I will say that some of the lab exercises were a little on the tedious
side because there's a separate instruction line for each individual
action, but I guess the author thought it better to err on the side of
thoroughness because the intended audience is probably expected to be
flying solo. There were a few typos in the version we used. Hopefully
the latest version for ArcGIS 9.2 (just released) has corrections. For
the cost of renting a computer training lab for a week (if you don't
have one), and a $60 book per student, this solution might work for you.
If you do choose to go this route with this particular book (there are
others you may wish to consider using), be careful which edition of the
book you order, as there are 3.
Blue Cover - pub date Jan 22, 2007 - for ArcGIS 9.2
Black Cover - pub date Jul 6, 2005 - for ArcGIS 9.1
Green Cover - pub date Sept, 2003 - even older versions
I don't know that there's an absolute necessity for your students take
an "ESRI certified" course, as long as all you need them to do is become
functional with that particular software package. If they're looking for
some GISP certification points, that's a different issue. If they desire
to become competent GIS professionals, just learning which buttons to
push in a particular software package won't be the answer either - that
will require GIScience classes and/or extensive readings own their own
that are not specific to any one software vendor's offerings.
Regarding your statement:
"I realize that, in a utopian society, all GIS users would be able
to afford an ESRI sponsored instructional course."
I wouldn't limit that wish solely to "ESRI sponsored" GIS classes. There
are also some good training materials available for Open Source GIS
software and for non-vendor specific GIS core curriculum courses too.
http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/education/curricula/giscc/
http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/community/conferences/MUM3
http://www.foss4g2006.org/conferenceTimeTable.py?confId=1&showDate=12-September-2006&showSession=all&detailLevel=contribution&viewMode=parallel
http://geoinformatics.tkk.fi/
http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/gis/index.html
Best Regards,
Julia Harrell
GIS Coordinator, NC DENR
julia.harrell@ncmail.net
919-715-0363
http://www.enr.state.nc.us/
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