GIS in the Rockies

Designing and Developing a New Online

Graduate Geospatial Program

Stephen A. McElroy, Ph.D., GISP

September 20, 2012

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Announcement American Sentinel University is pleased to announce two

new degree programs:

● Geospatial Information Systems Graduate Certificate (GISGC)

● Master of Geospatial Information Systems (MGIS)

On September 19, 2012, our educational accrediting

agency – Distance Education and Training Council –

formally approved these degree programs.

We will begin offering GIS graduate courses in November

2012!!

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Who are we?

Private, for profit, online, accredited university located in Aurora, CO.

Founded in 2006 from the merger of three schools that were started in

the late 1980s.

Currently offer associate, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in

business, information technology, business intelligence, GIS, health

care administration and nursing.

Over 2,500 adult learners from around the world.

Offered our first undergraduate GIS degree program in 2007.

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Currently Offer Two Online GIS Degrees • Associate of Science Geographic

Information Systems (ASGIS) • Bachelor of Science Geographic

Information System (BSGIS)

November 2012: • Geospatial Information Systems

Graduate Certificate (GISGC) • Master of Geospatial

Information Systems (MGIS)

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From - http://media.photobucket.com/image/treasure%20map

1. Doing our homework 2. Getting advice 3. Debating the possibilities 4. Establishing the path 5. Finding the people 6. Measuring the outcomes 7. Building the courses 8. Following the rules 9. Considering opinions 10. Dealing with options 11. Marketing the program 12. Opening the doors

Mapping the Path to a MGIS Degree

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The American Sentinel Master of Geospatial Information Systems (MGIS) is designed for: • Working professionals who have domain expertise in fields other than

GIS. • The MGIS will provide these individuals with the geospatial skills and

knowledge necessary to incorporate geospatial concepts and practice into their professional lives.

• Many students entering this program will come from work environments that have historically not assimilated or effectively used geospatial strategies, but where there is a growing recognition of the value of this approach.

Establishing the Path

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• The 2011 ESRI User Conference theme: “Taking GIS from the Professional to the Personal” supports the need to provide geospatially focused educational opportunities that meet the needs of non-GIS professionals.

• This is further reflected in an article published by Al Butler, the president-elect of URISA about the need to revisit GIS job titles and descriptions in order to better capture the changing nature and pervasiveness of the geospatial field.

Some Thoughts to Support the Path

Al Butler, “A New Approach to Updating URISA Publications” in the GIS Professional, A publication of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, Issue 246 Nov/Dec., 2011, pp. 6-9.

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The Master of Geospatial Information Systems (MGIS) is a 36-credit hour

program designed to provide the working professional with the skills and

knowledge necessary to incorporate and effectively use geospatial

strategies in the workplace. Geospatial strategies are those that integrate

visual, spatial, temporal, social and contextual information in a manner

that allows individuals and organizations to more effectively understand

and solve complex problems.

Describing the Path

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MGIS graduates will be able to:

MGIS Program Outcomes

1. Develop an understanding of geospatial principles and practices.

2. Develop a working knowledge of ArcGIS and other GIS related tools used in developing and implementing geospatial strategies.

3. Collect, store, access and use geospatial data across multiple disciplines.

4. Develop an enterprise level geospatial strategy.

5. Understand the ethical and legal issues associated with the use of geospatial data.

6. Understand similarities and differences in geospatial strategies among specific industries.

7. Design, develop and complete a GIS project.

8. Present geospatial information in a clear and professional manner.

9. Complete an e-Portfolio as evidence of academic achievement.

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For some of the answers we turned to the Lumina Foundation

and the Geospatial Technology Competency Model

Measurements Along the Path…

How do you know if you've arrived?

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Mission Statement Program Learning Outcomes Course Learning Objectives Module Learning Objectives

American Sentinel University’s mission is to provide high-quality, innovative degree and certificate

programs that enable students to enhance their professional and civic lives.

Mapping Throughout the Program

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1. Applied Learning

2. Intellectual Skills

3. Specialized Knowledge

4. Broad, Integrative Knowledge

5. Civic Learning

Measuring Educational Outcomes

http://www.luminafoundation.org

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GIS Course/ Program Map for Lumina

Outcomes Specific Outcome Evidence: Student e-Portfolio

Applied learning

Working skill with ArcGIS software, data acquisition and manipulation.

Course exercises and projects requiring the development of skills in using ArcGIS software and

geospatial data.

Broad, integrative knowledge

Fundamental understanding of geospatial data, information systems and software

alternatives.

Research papers on data acquisition, data mining, open GIS systems, and alternative commercial GIS

software.

Intellectual skills

Knowledge of how to address geospatial problems and to design geospatial

investigations.

Research papers and project assignments in a wide variety of fields with geospatial challenges.

Specialized knowledge

Skills with statistical integrity, cartographic representation, data

visualization and map interpretation.

Coursework, comprehensive project assignments or capstones on topics of significant scope.

Civic learning Applying GIS skills and knowledge to address persistent challenges faced by

people and their communities.

Research papers, projects, capstones on public policy issues.

Evidence: portfolio assessments, geospatial learning lab badges, prior learning, course activities, external activities and student responses to each of the mapped areas.

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GIS Course and Degree Program Map for Geospatial Technology Competency Model

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Course Level Mapping

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Following the Rules

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Core Courses (5 courses – 15 credits) • Geospatial Principles and Practice • Geospatial Practicum Using ArcGIS • Geospatial Data • Developing an Enterprise Level Geospatial Strategy • GIS Accuracy, Ethics & the Law

Graduate Certificate

Project Track 4 Elective courses – 12 credits + 3 Project courses – 9 credits

Course Track 6 Elective courses – 18 credits + 1 Project course – 3 credits

Elective Courses (7 courses – 21 credits)

• Web-based Applications and Resources for Geospatial Analysis • Emerging Topics, Trends and Technologies in Geospatial Analysis • GIS Applications in Health and Human Services • GIS Applications in Business • GIS Applications in Government • GIS Applications in Defense, Intelligence and Public Safety • GIS Applications in Environment and Natural Resources • Geospatial Project Overview (required) • Design and Development of a Geospatial Project • Geospatial Project and Presentation

MGIS

MGIS Program Details

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GIS Course Delivery in Moodle

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KNOWLEDGE Incorporate external expertise

and up-to-date information through RSS feeds

ACCESS Link directly to tools needed

to complete the course

PRACTICE Provide opportunities to apply what they are

learning

CONTENT Create and share

relevant and reliable information

ASSESSMENT Frequently check

on student learning

COMMUNITY Access to Yammer and

other tools to help build an online community

HELP Include direct links to

various avenues of support

ArcGIS in the Cloud

Accessing ArcGIS in the Cloud

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GOAL: Exemplify (where

appropriate) the relevance

of geospatial technology

for problem solving in

major disciplines.

We believe that geospatial thinking is so important that we decided to not only create new graduate GIS programs and revamp our undergraduate GIS programs, but to add geospatial literacy to the list of critical cross-disciplinary themes in our university-wide programs.

Business

Nursing and

Health Care

Technology

Geospatial Thinking Across the Curriculum

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Geospatially Knowledgeable Graduates

Technology

Nursing and

Heath Care

Business

Initiative to Implement Geospatial Thinking Across the Curriculum

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Two New Geospatial Graduate Programs

Geospatial Information Systems Graduate Certificate (GISGC)

Master of Geospatial Information Systems (MGIS)

• Currently recruiting new students

• First course begins in November 2012

• Admissions deadline is October 31, 2012

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Questions?

Contact: Stephen A. McElroy, Ph.D., GISP GIS Program Chair American Sentinel University Stephen.McElroy@americansentinel.edu

www.americansentinel.edu 800.729.2427