Sofia, 4. 4. 2004 The role of Geoinformatic Geoinformatic Literacy in Literacy in The role of Promoting romoting Geographers’ employability Geographers’ employability P Vít Voženílek Palacky University in Olomouc
digital elevation models simulation models
Awareness of GIS Global market with GIS software mil. USD 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Geoinformatics (geomatics, GIscience) Geoinformatics = scientific discipline studying information about spatial objects, phenomena and relationships among them = geosciences within digital environment computers, networks, internet, databases, programming, satellites, digitising, simulation and modelling, data ... Geography and also Geographical Information Systems Systems geology Geographical Information ecology Remote Sensing Sensing Remote botany Global Navigation Navigation Satellite Satellite Systems Systems Global zoology Computer cartography cartography Computer cartography GIT GIT Geostatistics Geostatistics surveying ... Photogrammetry ... ... Photogrammetry
Geoinformatic literacy literacy Geoinformatic � Who should be literate? � … how educated? � … at what level of literacy? � … who will teach? � … what tools (HW, SW) will be used for practical exercises? Geographical Cartographical Informatic Geographical
Geoinformatic literacy literacy Geoinformatic Geographical • Is not encyclopaedical knowledge of geographical objects and their spatial localisation • is geographical thinking – ability to sort, analyse and apply geographical theories systematically, to implement synthesis, models and to formulate varied spatial attributes of geographical phenomena climatology demography hydrology tourism geomorphology regional planning pedogeography geography of transport biogeography geography of services
Geoinformatic literacy Cartographical 1. ability to read a map (map-use): • map perception • map legend using • undestanding of map content 2. ability to complete a map (map-making) • to set up map project • to submitt a map design • to apply map language There are two kinds of cartograhoical literacy: • native • additionally obtained by learning
Cartography
Geoinformatic literacy Informatic • frequently it is understood as operating computer only • now its understanding is wider: • it covers activities from file management, through letter writting, table processing, graph designing, e-mail using, web searching till programming
Two levels levels of of geoinformatic literacy Two understanding using • to be able arguing • practical skill • to be able discussing • operating GIT • to express demands • fundamental attitudes • suitable for non non- -GIS GIS • suitable for GI GI- -experts experts experts experts
Education in geoinformatics has to be: � academic (didactic) � independent � transdisciplinar
Academic education of geoinformatics the Czech view geoinformatic courses (with ‘geoinformatics’ in title) � courses with non-geoinformatic tile but offering � geoinformatics as one of specialisation courses that include geoinformatics as one of � additional module
knowledge – skill – habits - attitudes knowledge – understanding of digital data and digital environment, information about kinds of real world representation, attribute data types, data models and structures, graphical and database formats, principles of positioning systems, principles of remote sensing etc. skill – ability to work with sophisticated software products of GIS for geographical work, computer cartography, remote sensing or geostatistics, ability to apply methods and techniques (analysis, synthesis, modelling, simulation) within digital environment using gained knowledge in geography etc. habits – problem solutions using GIT and creating digital outputs, digital presenting etc. attitudes – critical assessment of GIT methods abilities in comparison to other scientific and technological approaches of various activities leading to progress of all branches that use geographical information etc.
Independence in education trends : computer cost decreasing and its performance increasing it changes from manual to digital spatial information handling � hardware independence of GI applications GI applications are performed at different hardware platforms, at equipment of � various generations, configurations and software versions. = also due to from business reasons software incompatibility it is often impossible to use additional software components of different � software families, sometimes even of the same product only an effort on maximal data compatibility eliminates software dependence of � advanced applications choosing of software platform is one of the key decision when GI application designing and also when completing courses on geoinformatics maximal independence – all hardware, software, data (data formats) – is simultaneously user’s wish and seller’s fear however research topics have spatial nature and do not require specific � software environment
aggregated experience from GIS projects ↓ ↓ generalisation and extrapolation of knowledge, specific approaches ↓ ↓ later some of them have been successfully applied in fields which they did not inteted for ↓ ↓ GI-experts started to modify general geoinformatic tool using specific needs (medical, archaeological, geographical, geological, ecological, cartographical, geodetic, demographic, millitary ...) In past the the success success of of GIS GIS was was in in operating operating one one GIS software GIS software – – it it is is not not In past enough now enough now = TRANSDISCIPLINARITY = = TRANSDISCIPLINARITY = = geographical (spatial) information and approaches go through several disciplines (sciences)
Analogue data data sources sources Digital data sources sources Analogue Digital data • school atlas • electronic atlases • yearbooks • CD-ROM products • wall maps • databases • newspapers and journals • internet newsa and journals • TV and radio • e-mail communication • web-GIS • programming ANALOGUE DIGITAL versus versus TEACHER STUDENT
Geoinformatic literacy brings wider capabilities into geography due to: easier accessibility of geographical information via Internet, Intranet and wireless telecommunication networks, more accurate and effective decision (incl. economic and political) because most of them has geographical nature, higher simplicity of computer using and activities within digital environment development of better technologies for visualisation, management and spatial analysis of geographical data and their linking with another (non-geographical) systems, digital geographical data extending and sharing , i.e. RS data and GPS data, concentration of new knowledge and experience from geographical applications and then implementation of geographical approaches into many related fields
„Training Training“ nebo „ “ nebo „Education Education“ ?????? “ ?????? „ pushing ! ! ! ! ! ! Never button button pushing
Danger in future progress in GIT will go on and all geosciences have to accept it however if geographer will not carry about geoinformatics more intensively, development of geoinformatics will be shifted out of geography � this should divert many applicants (and also students) from geography and geography should stay out of the progress, which is more and more crucial for development of the whole society geoinformatic literacy seems to be a strong argument (even a powerful weapon) in long-term struggle called “ housebreaking of geography ” � in past geographers lost several topics � ecology, urban planning, cartography, geology and some other disciplines operate (even occupy) themes that should be under care by geography � there is real danger that geoinformatics (that is definitely geographical discipline) will be acquired by computer scientists or experts for databases and programming
We are on are on the the junction junction … … We geographers equipped by geoinformatic literacy are in demand for many jobs they can work in traditional geographical way but also with applying many � digital approaches research teams, governmental offices and commercial companies requires � people with high skill of digital data handling – spatial databases, digital maps, simulation packages etc. geographers have more job opportunities in both traditional and still non- � geographical branches now school geography (and especially geography teachers) has to guarantee that young generation will see geography as a field supervising geoinformatics it is not complicated because teaching and learning with geoinformation � technologies is easier than without ones many GI-experts are poor in geography or in cartography because any missing component of geoinformatic literacy makes incorrect understanding and applying geographical rules and methods in GIT activities geoinformatics and its education has to be closely linked to geography � geoinformatic literacy gives geographers opportunity to play important role in occupations, which belongs to another fields such as ecology, biology, geology, history, demography, political science etc.
Thank you for your attention. Vít Voženílek Palacky University in Olomouc Czech Republic vitek@risc.upol.cz
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