Which place for Spatial Modelling

in GIS education?

The example of the GITTA project

LASIG laboratory Corinne Plazanet & Regis Caloz

Geographic Information Technology Training Aliance

Sept. the 13th 2002

EPFL – LaSIG lab. C. Plazanet & R. Caloz

Outline

The GITTA project

Pedagogical objectives and content

Spatial Modeling modules

Integration within the GITTA curriculum

Conclusion and open questions

Geographic Information Technology Training Aliance

85% of the capacity of GIS academic courses

in Switzerland

Swiss Virtual Campus

project

07/2001 - 01/2004 Covers 1 discipline: GIS

4 languages

10 academic partners: Universities, high schools,

Federal Institutes of Technology

+ 1 administrative partner + 1 pedagogue

The GITTA project

EPFL – LaSIG lab. C. Plazanet & R. Caloz

Universities, high schools, Federal Institutes of Technology

• Students in geography, geomatics (geodetics, topographic

works), forestry sciences, computer science, land use planning

• Applied sciences (biology, earth sciences, biology, land

architecture… )

• Postgraduate diploma

• Formation continue

Target public

EPFL – LaSIG lab. C. Plazanet & R. Caloz

Objectives

EPFL – LaSIG lab. C. Plazanet & R. Caloz

• Federate knowledgeFederate knowledge in GIS in a virtual campus with coordinated curriculum

• Standardize course structure and contentsStandardize course structure and contents by exploiting synergies and eliminating redundancies

• Provide a virtual learning center Provide a virtual learning center that allows students to complete standardized ECTS units

• Integrate GITTAIntegrate GITTA course units course units in existing curriculum in order to replace or enhance traditional courses (pedagogical renewal)

Declared objective:Declared objective: Presence in classroom reduced to 50% (tutoring Presence in classroom reduced to 50% (tutoring sessions, project reviews, working groups, student presentations, etc.)sessions, project reviews, working groups, student presentations, etc.)

Main 1rst interest:Main 1rst interest: provide a GI curriculum up to date and well structured provide a GI curriculum up to date and well structured

Declared objective:Declared objective: Presence in classroom reduced to 50% (tutoring Presence in classroom reduced to 50% (tutoring sessions, project reviews, working groups, student presentations, etc.)sessions, project reviews, working groups, student presentations, etc.)

Main 1rst interest:Main 1rst interest: provide a GI curriculum up to date and well structured provide a GI curriculum up to date and well structured

• Develop student independence Develop student independence in his learning process• Develop his capabilities in GIS management Develop his capabilities in GIS management for the analysis

of simple spatial issues within an individual learning environment based on information technologies

• Integrate transdisciplinaryIntegrate transdisciplinary aspects aspects of GIS knowledge and emphasize consciences on practical issues by working on real world case studies

• Deepen specific topicsDeepen specific topics through projects

The success of the approach lies not only on didactical tools but also onThe success of the approach lies not only on didactical tools but also on coaching and tutoring !coaching and tutoring !

The success of the approach lies not only on didactical tools but also onThe success of the approach lies not only on didactical tools but also on coaching and tutoring !coaching and tutoring !

Pedagogical and didactical objectives

EPFL – LaSIG lab. C. Plazanet & R. Caloz

1 10.5 0.5 0.50.5

1 ECTS = 30 hours

2 1 1 1 1

Geomarketing

Implementation of a business GIS

11

2 ECTS / curriculum1 ECTS = 2 days

Cachment and hydrology modelingTerrain elevation of yarding

Gaz pipeline: pattern optimization

Optimal route in urban road netwk

2222

Decision making

3

2

3

3

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Modular pedagogical approach

Large place for theoritical aspects

L1: Spatial perception and modeling

U1: Terms and definitions

U2: From reality to representations U3: Conventional spatial modeling: mapsU4: Models of apprehension of geographical space

L2: Fundamental conceptsU5: ScaleU6: Georeference: Location, projectionsU7: Spatial relations: DistanceU7: Spatial relations: Topology

L3: Notions of information modelling

U8: Units of observation of reality

U9: spatial information

L4: Numerical modeling of realityU10: Introduction to numerical modeling U11: Concepts of vector model

U12: Topology

U13: Concepts of raster or image modelU14: Comparison of vector / rasterU15: Relief modeling (DTM)U16: Network modeling

L5: Conceptual data modelingU17: Concepts of conceptual modelingU18: The Entity-Relationship modelU19: Spatial conceptual data models

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Spatial modeling basic moduleModule -> lessons -> units

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Spatial modeling intermediate module

L1: Advanced relief modelingU: MODELSU: RELIEF PROPRIETES

L2: 2.5D, 3D Modeling

L3: Advanced network modeling

L4: Specific modelsU: MODELS FOR SPATIAL ANALYSIS U: STRUCTURES FOR DB INDEXINGU: STRUCTURES FOR DATA COMPRESSION

L5: Multi source GIS - InteroperabilityU: MULTIREPRESENTATION MODELING CONCEPTSU: DB INTEGRATION (INTER SCHEMAS CORRESPONDANCE ASSERTIONS)U: ABSTRACTION MECANISMS - GENERALIZATION

L6: Information System EngineeringU: DESIGN METHODOLOGIESU: PROCESS MODELING (DATA FLOW)U: CONCEPTUAL DATA MODELSU: CASE TOOLSU: SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURESU: META DATAU: EXCHANGE FORMATS: INTERLIS

Module -> lessons -> units

• MAIN ISSUE:

Provide an exhaustive content avoiding redundancies

=> integration of modules’ content !

• Which notion in which module?

• Choice of the module

• Choice of the level: Basic / intermediate / advanced

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

How to validate contents ?

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Which notion in which module?

DCDC SMSM ANAN

Network modelingNetwork modeling

PRPR

Relief modeling DTM, TINRelief modeling DTM, TIN

GeoreferenceGeoreference

DMDM SYSY

Conceptual modeling

Conceptual modeling

MetadataMetadata

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Which notion in which module?

The choice depends on :The logic of the modules (structural line)

B-SM follows the process of GIS modeling from perception and abstraction to DB modeling, through fundamental models: vector/raster (without considering a particular application)

I-SM considers modeling according to proprieties and objectives: analysis, generalization, cartographic presentation …

The duration of the modules (number of credits)

The complexity of notions

The importance of the notion in the curriculum

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Spatial modeling modules outflow

BASICBASIC

INTERMEDIATEINTERMEDIATE e.g. Route maps

e.g Selection of roads longer than

1000 m

-

+

L e v e l o f a b s t r a c t i o n

SPATIAL ANALYSIS

e.g. Road polylines

e.g. Road

network

SPATIAL MODELING

Visual apprehension of reality

Internal structuring properties.

Model properties

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Links between SM and AN modules NETWORK MODELING

Ab

str

acti

on

level

BASICBASIC

INTERMEDIATEINTERMEDIATE Advanced geomorphometry

e.g topo. objects extraction on TIN…

Terrain analysis on DTM

-

+

L e v e l o f a b s t r a c t i o n

SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Introduction to DTM

TIN, Morphological properties…

SPATIAL MODELING

Visual apprehension of reality

Internal structuring properties.

Model properties

Ab

str

acti

on

level

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Links between SM and AN modules RELIEF MODELING

• First testings in Spring 2003

• Where we are:

– Variable units duration according to learning objects

– Fix strcuture and order of modules

– Fix order of units for each module

– In each author’s natural langage

• We have to go on developping content while there are still

open questions…

• … on integration issues in schools !!!– Complete adoption OR Keep existing GI curriculum by re-organizing

GITTA units ?

– Complete e-learning OR Mix traditional & e-learn ?

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Conclusions and open questions for the schools

Extra slides in case of

tech. Questions…

E-C.L.A.S.S. : Guide to On-Line

course development

Dr Gerson Johnson County Community

College

• E = Explain• C = Clarify• L = Look• A = Act• S = Share• S = Self Evaluation

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Content of a unit

FormulaireFormulaireE-C.L.A.S.S.E-C.L.A.S.S.

Sources: Docs Word, images, animations…

Unit1.xml

Unit1meta.xml

XMLXML

Redaction of contentRedaction of contentStructuration XML: Structuration XML: content and metadatascontent and metadatas

XSLXSL

Publication Publication HTML, HTML, PDF, WAP…PDF, WAP…

DTDDTD based on L.M.M.L. (Learning Material Markup Language)

and E-C.L.A.S.S.

=> Content and presentation separated !=> Content and presentation separated !

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

XML structuration of contents

Susanne Bleisch, FHBB

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Module DTD

Susanne Bleisch, FHBB

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Lesson DTD

E

A

LC

S

SSusanne Bleisch, FHBB

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z

Unit DTD

EP

FL

– L

aSIG

lab

.

C

. Pla

zan

et &

R. C

alo

z