WEB-BASED GIS

Course Outline

Course Number: GEOM050

Sir Sandford Fleming College  
School of Environmental and
Natural Resource Sciences

Summer Semester, 2003  
GIS Cartographic Specialist Program: semester 3

Course Format: On-Campus Delivery Course Hours: 60 hrs

Faculty: Anthony Bonnici (office 219, ext 3241)  
Office Hours: Tue 11-12, Thu 12-1   
E-mail address: tony@webGISdev.com  
Course website: www.webGISdev.com        

Approved by:  ________________________________,  Co-ordinator           Date: __________________

Approved by:  ________________________________, Academic Team Leader          Date: __________________


Course Description

This course introduces GIS students to the broad possibilities of the single greatest impetus of change for the GIS industry, the Internet. The course will build on Graphics Publishing in the previous trimester and provide a conceptual understanding of existing Web-based technologies for GIS and the innovations that will affect the shape of the industry's future. The planning and development stages for a GIS Website will also be covered, with practical work in preparing, accessing, displaying, querying, and analyzing GIS data over the Internet.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Graphics Publishing (COMP040) and Problem Solving and Programming (COMP078) or equivalents are required for admission to this course.

Vocational Outcomes: Develop skill in design and development of web-based Geographic Information Systems.

This course contributes to the following learning outcomes or essential knowledge and skills required by learners as defined by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities program standards, employers, industry and professional organizations.

 

General Education Goal Area: N/A

Generic Skills Outcomes

Use a variety of computer hardware and software and other technological tools appropriate and necessary to the performance of tasks.

Reframe information, ideas, and concepts using visual and symbolic representations to demonstrate understanding.

Evaluate one's own thinking throughout the steps and processes used in problem solving.

Manage the use of time and other resources to attain project-related goals.

Create innovative strategies that meet identified needs.

Aim

To introduce the student to the emerging technology of web-based GIS, and prepare them to harness this technology for the use and deployment of GIS over the Internet.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes:    type below, in the standard numbered list formatAt the successful conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Explain how the Internet will affect the GIS industry at present and in the future.

  2. Use HTML coding to build the foundation for a web site.

  3. Understand how JavaScript can add specialized functionality to web sites. 

  4. Understand how ColdFusion can be used to dynamic access relational databases through HTML.

  5. Utilize Autodesk MapGuide to dynamically publish GIS data over the Internet.

  6. Access, analyze, and manipulate GIS data using a web browser.

Learning Sequence

Most of the scheduled class time will be spent on the lecture topics and lab exercises listed below; assignments, the project, and exercises as necessary will be completed outside of class. Since this is a new course, the following schedule should be considered tentative—it will be adjusted as the course progresses to better meet the needs of the class.

Week

Lecture Topics

Laboratory

Text

L.O.

Evaluated

1

May 06/08

INTRODUCTION

Course Introduction

WebGIS Intro, Web Basics

MapGuide Lab 1

WebGIS Assignment

A:Intro

1

6

Lab

Assignment

2

May

13/15

Web Client/Server Architecture, Processing, and Programming

MapGuide Lab 2

Project 1: Planning & Preparation

B:1

1

6

Lab

Project

3

May

20/22

HTML

Introduction to HTML Coding

HTML Tables

Intro Quiz

HTML Lab

HTML Assignment

A:1-9

2

Quiz

Lab

Assignment

4

May

27/29

HTML Frames

HTML Forms

Project 2: Prepare Frames & Forms

A:10,11
B:5,6

2

Project

5

Jun

03/05

JAVASCRIPT

Introduction to JavaScript

HTML Quiz

JavaScript Lab 1

JavaScript Assignment 2

B:1-3

3

Quiz 2

Lab

6

Jun

10/12

Document Object Model

JavaScript Lab 2

JavaScript Assignment 2

B:2,A

3

Lab

Assignment

7

Jun

17/19

Events and Functions

Project 3: Add Custom Functionality

B:2,A

3

Project

8

Independent Learning Week (program oriented, self-directed studies)

9

Jul

01?/03

COLDFUSION

Intro, Common CF Tags, Passing Parameters

JavaScript Quiz

ColdFusion Lab

 

4

Quiz 3

Lab

10

Jul

08/10

Using Forms, Querying and Updating Database Tables

ColdFusion Lab

Project 4: Build DB Interactivity

 

4

Lab

Assignment

11

Jul

15/17

MAPGUIDE

WebGIS Implementation Types

MapGuide Overview

ColdFusion Quiz

MapGuide Lab 3

 

1

5

6

Quiz 4

Lab

12

Jul

24/26

MapGuide Viewer

SDF Loader

MapGuide Lab 4

Project 5: Data Conversion

 

5

6

Lab

Project

13

Jul
29/ 31

MapGuide Author

MapGuide Map Layers

Project 5: Add GIS Functionality

 

5

6

Project

14

Aug

05/07

MapGuide Optimization

Project 5: Completion

 

1

5

6

Project

15

Aug

12/14

MapGuide Customization

MapGuide Quiz

Project: Demonstration

 

1

5

6

Quiz 5

Project

Text = relevant chapters from recommended texts:                 L.O. = Learning Outcomes corresponding to topics

A: HTML for the World Wide Web, Fourth Edition by Elizabeth Castro, published by Peachpit Press, 2000 (ISBN 0-201-35493-4)
B: JavaScript Second Edition by Don Gosselin, published by Course Technology, Thomson Learning, 2002 (ISBN 0-619-06334-3)

Assessment Plan

The course evaluation is based on weekly lab exercises, assignments, and quizzes, and a major project. The evaluation components and weightings shown in the table below are tentative and may be revised by the instructor if required.

Module

Labs

Assignments

Quiz

Project

Total

1. Introduction

/ 06

/ 04

/ 05

/ 05

/ 20

2. HTML Coding

/ 05

/ 05

/ 05

/ 05