INSTRUCTORS

• Prof. Tschangho John Kim (tjohnkim@uiuc.edu)
• Dr. Sung-Gheel Jang (sjang3@uiuc.edu)

OVERALL DESCRIPTION

This course provides an advanced instruction on the knowledge and methods needed for building a spatial database and for sharing it with others. Today, those knowledge and methods became indispensable for any GIS applications to urban and regional planning, civil engineering, natural resources, geography and among others. This course covers advanced concepts and principles of GIS with a particular emphasis on the urban context, concepts and tools of spatial data modeling. UP 418 – Introduction to GIS or an equivalent introductory course is prerequisite to take this course. Course schedules are subject to change; it is your responsibility to be aware of changes announced in class.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the course are:

• Understand in-depth concepts and methods for advanced applications of Geographic Information Systems such as spatial data models, modeling spatial databases, spatial data sharing using web technologies, and so on;
• Familiarize students with a widely used GIS software (ESRI ArcGIS) and open source tools by using intensive hands-on exercises;
• Integrate concepts of GIS theory and methodology with technical skills to design, implement and present a GIS project;

More specifically,

• Design and build a spatial database using a UML modeling tool;
• Give students an opportunity to learn SQL to perform spatial queries against spatial databases;
• Present standards and methods for sharing GIS databases such as metadata, GML, transport protocols, and how to build spatial data infrastructure; and
• Give students an opportunity to learn web-based GIS technologies

REQUIREMENTS

Each week, lecture and laboratory sessions will be provided to cover both theory and practice of topics of interest. Students will have extensive hands on experience using the ESRI ArcGIS packages and other open source tools for GIS. It is strongly encouraged you to work together with your colleagues to discuss and find out reasonable solutions to the problems that we assign for the laboratory exercises. The students should attend both sessions and complete the following requirements: lab assignments, two projects in lieu of mid-term and final exams. All students will have their own web spaces to post their projects. Upon completion of the course, successful students should be able to apply what they have learned immediately to their own research work and in their future professional careers.

GRADING POLICY

The course grade will be composed of laboratory assignments (25%), two projects (35% each) and class participation (5%).

COURSE MATERIALS

There are no required textbooks for this course, but there are required and recommended readings for each topic as listed in the detailed course schedule.

All materials will be posted at this course website (http://epil.urban.uiuc.edu:8888).

Note: Readings will include articles, chapters, and handouts from other sources. Hands-on exercise materials will be provided separately.