GIS Course

Lesson 1 • History and Evolution of GIS

Traces GIS development from early cartography to modern cloud platforms. Contextualises current tools within a broader technological trajectory.

Lesson 2 • What GIS Is and Why It Matters

Defines GIS, its core components, and its role across industries. Establishes the vocabulary and conceptual baseline for the entire course.

Lesson 3 • Spatial Thinking and Geographic Concepts

Introduces spatial reasoning as a cognitive skill and links it to geographic principles. Prepares students to interpret location, distance, and spatial relationships.

Lesson 1 • Earth's Shape and Geographic Coordinates

Explains the geoid, ellipsoid, and datum concepts that underpin all coordinate systems. Connects Earth's physical shape to how locations are mathematically defined.

Lesson 2 • Managing Coordinate Systems in GIS

Teaches how to assign, verify, and reproject data within GIS software. Prevents common errors caused by mismatched coordinate reference systems.

Lesson 3 • Map Projections Explained

Covers how a curved surface is flattened and the distortions that result. Students identify projection families and their appropriate use cases.

Lesson 1 • Vector Data Model

Explains points, lines, and polygons as representations of discrete geographic features. Connects geometry types to real-world entities and attribute tables.

Lesson 2 • Data Formats and Interoperability

Examines conversion between formats and interoperability challenges across platforms. Students export and import data without losing attributes or geometry.

Lesson 3 • Acquiring Spatial Data

Surveys primary and secondary data sources including open portals, remote sensing, and field collection. Students evaluate data quality before use.

Lesson 4 • Organising and Managing GIS Data

Establishes best practices for folder structures, naming conventions, and metadata. Efficient data management reduces errors and supports project reproducibility.

Lesson 1 • Thematic Mapping Techniques

Teaches choropleth, proportional symbol, dot density, and isoline mapping methods. Students match thematic technique to data type and analytical goal.

Lesson 2 • Symbolisation and Colour Theory

Covers symbol types, colour schemes, and their perceptual effects on map readers. Students select symbolisation that accurately represents data characteristics.

Lesson 3 • Map Layout and Essential Elements

Guides construction of a complete map layout including all required marginalia. Students produce maps that meet professional cartographic standards.

Lesson 4 • Exporting and Sharing Maps

Covers output formats for print, web, and presentation contexts. Students select resolution and format appropriate to the delivery medium.

Lesson 1 • Topology Rules and Validation

Introduces topology as a set of spatial integrity rules for vector datasets. Students identify and fix topological errors such as gaps and overlaps.

Lesson 2 • Editing Existing Features

Covers modifying geometry and attributes of existing features using editing tools. Students correct errors without introducing new topological problems.

Lesson 3 • Georeferencing Raster Data

Explains how to align scanned maps and imagery to a coordinate reference system. Accurate georeferencing is prerequisite to digitising from historical sources.

Lesson 1 • Spatial Statistics Basics

Introduces descriptive spatial statistics to characterise distribution and clustering. Students distinguish random, clustered, and dispersed patterns in datasets.

Lesson 2 • Querying and Selecting Spatial Data

Covers attribute queries, spatial queries, and combined selection methods. Students extract subsets of data that meet defined criteria for further analysis.

Lesson 3 • Geoprocessing Tools and Workflows

Introduces foundational geoprocessing operations including clip, intersect, union, and buffer. Students chain tools into repeatable workflows using geoprocessing frameworks.

Lesson 4 • Proximity and Network-Based Analysis

Covers distance measurement, buffer zones, and basic network routing concepts. Students solve location and accessibility problems using proximity tools.

Lesson 1 • Map Algebra and Raster Calculator

Applies mathematical and logical operations to raster layers using the raster calculator. Students combine layers to produce composite suitability or risk surfaces.

Lesson 2 • Terrain Derivatives and Surface Analysis

Derives slope, aspect, hillshade, and curvature from elevation data. These derivatives support hydrological, ecological, and engineering analyses.

Lesson 3 • Spatial Interpolation Methods

Compares IDW, kriging, spline, and natural neighbour interpolation techniques. Students select and apply the method best suited to their data distribution.

Lesson 4 • Hydrological Analysis from DEMs

Teaches watershed delineation, flow direction, and stream network extraction. Students model how water moves across a landscape using raster tools.

Lesson 1 • Defining a GIS Project Scope

Guides students through problem framing, objective setting, and data requirements planning. A well-defined scope prevents scope creep and guides all subsequent decisions.

Lesson 2 • Documenting and Presenting GIS Work

Covers project documentation, metadata creation, and effective presentation of GIS findings. Students communicate results clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Lesson 3 • Environmental and Land Use Analysis

Combines land cover, terrain, and socioeconomic layers to assess environmental conditions. Students quantify land use change and identify sensitive areas.

Lesson 4 • Site Suitability Analysis Workflow

Applies overlay, proximity, and raster analysis to identify optimal locations. Students produce a ranked suitability surface with documented criteria.