Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

After completing this course student:
- knows and understand the processing, storage and analysis of spatial information using geographical information systems GIS
- knows how to apply GIS in practical situations in ecological landscape planning and monitoring of the state of the environment
- can interpret aerial photographs and make maps using relevant methods

Content (course unit)

Principles of GIS and remote sensing tools and applications in land use planning and making and interpreting maps

Location and time

Lecture times are available in LUKKARIKONE (https://lukkarit.tamk.fi/).

Assessment methods and criteria

Exam 50% : Open computer/book Moodle exam executed at TAMK in adp classroom by using QGIS, assessment grades1-5
Course work 30 %: compulsory, assessment grades Accepted/Failed
Remote sensing (drone mapping, laser scanned data) issues will cover 20% of the whole grade, questions will be included in the GIS Moodle exam.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

The teaching methods include contact teaching, distance teaching, GIS exercises, GIS coursework (individual), remote sensing equipment training, drone exercise (including GNSS data acquisition) on the field and data transfer into GIS, course exam. The exam will be carried out by solving spatial data management tasks in QGIS. The exam will contain also some questions concerning remote sensing issues.

Learning materials

Lecture documents will be available in Moodle course.
Other materials:
Ebert, J I 2007, Chapter 3: Photogrammetry, Photointerpretation, and Digital Imaging and Mapping in Environmental Forensics, in: Murphy, B, & Morrison, R, Introduction To Environmental Forensics, Amsterdam: Academic Press. Available in the library's eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).
contact teaching
Wise, S. 2013 GIS Fundamentals
Heywood, Sarah Cornelius and Steve Carver. An introduction to geographical information systems. Harlow : Prentice Hall, 2002.
QGIS Help
QGIS videos in You Tube

Student workload

Contact teaching and guided computer excercises approximately 50 h, self-study and excercises approximately 85 h. Total approximately 135 h.

Content scheduling

Baisc of GIS, QGIS programme
Remote Sensing data, aerial images, satellite images, point cloud data, DEM, DSM, DTM
Laser scanning
Drone mapping
Satellite positioning
Coordinate systems
Photogrammetric software and point cloud software.
Open spatial map data and download services (NLS and other sources)
Spatial data models, database management, visualization and thematic maps, searching functions, data entry, elementary proximity, basic analysing tools.
Environmental observations/change observations based on laser scanning and drone data

Practical training and working life cooperation

The course exercises are related to the skills that environmental engineers commonly need in their working life.

Further information

The software in use on this course is QGIS. It is an open source software freely available in internet. Link for downloading in Moodle.
Drone mission planning with Pix4DCapture (IOS or Android).
Photogrammetric processing with Pix4DMapper software (class room license + free trial version available).
Point cloud visualisation and analysis by CloudCompare (open source software).

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student does not reach the level of satisfactory or does not do the exam neither the reports

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can:
- download open file spatial data
- do the coordinate definitions
- separate vector and raster data from each others
- edit the appearance of the map objects and make thematic maps
- search map objects and save the results as separate files (layers)
- save and transfer data with GNSS device
- explain the properties of aerial/satellite images and point cloud data

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can in addition to previous mentioned:
- edit map objects and update attribute data
- utilize searching functions for efficient use of spatial data
- produce vector data
- rectify raster images
- maintain data of different coordinate systems
- visualise remote sensing data

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can apply previous mentioned skills and elementary analysis tools in problem solving.