Geographical Information Systems - Part 1

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne via Coursera

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/gis-1

Introduction

### Course Review: Geographical Information Systems - Part 1 on Coursera If you've ever been intrigued by maps, data visualization, or how geographic data influences decision-making, then the **Geographical Information Systems - Part 1** course offered on Coursera might just be the perfect introduction for you. This course, designed for beginners, takes you on a journey into the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), providing both theoretical and practical foundations that can enhance your skillset significantly. #### Course Overview The course is structured into two parts, ensuring that you grasp both the core concepts of GIS as well as practical applications. **No prior knowledge** is needed, making it accessible to everyone, from complete novices to those with some experience in data analysis. The emphasis is on hands-on learning, particularly through the use of **free, open-source software** such as **QGIS**, which is a powerful tool for managing and analyzing geospatial data. #### Syllabus Breakdown The course is organized week-by-week, with each module focusing on a key aspect of GIS: 1. **Digitization – Territorial Modeling**: In the first week, you’ll explore how to digitize terrain through territorial modeling. This includes determining essential spatial elements, their characteristics, and understanding scales and themes that impact modeling. You’ll gain insights into the intrinsic nature of geographic elements, whether raster or vector. 2. **Digitization - Geodata Capture and Documentation**: This week dives into digital data acquisition techniques, starting with metadata for documenting datasets. It’s essential for ensuring data sustainability and includes a fascinating case study on participatory GIS examples from Senegal and Seychelles. 3. **Digitization - Automated Capture and Use of Existing Geodata**: Building on prior knowledge, this session focuses on automatic vectorization and existing data sources. A case study on biodiversity projects in Senegal and Mauritania enriches the learning experience. 4. **Storage - Geodata Structure and Organization**: Transitioning into data storage, you’ll learn about various geodata formats and relational databases. Practical lessons in QGIS will help you create your own databases, with real-world applications illustrated through a case study on transport and urban planning in Senegal. 5. **Storage - Data Management with SQL**: No GIS course is complete without an introduction to SQL. This week teaches you how to access and manipulate relational databases, focusing on conditional queries, aggregations, and data structure modifications. 6. **Storage - Spatial SQL and NoSQL Databases**: The final week wraps up with spatial SQL queries that delve into geodata's geometric and topological aspects. You’ll also get an overview of the expanding field of NoSQL databases. The learning process concludes with a case study on bushfire management in sub-Saharan Africa, reinforcing your knowledge with a quiz. #### Recommendation I highly recommend the **Geographical Information Systems - Part 1** course for anyone looking to start their GIS journey. The course is well-structured, offers practical applications, and is filled with relevant case studies that put theory into context. The use of QGIS - a widely endorsed tool - ensures that you not only learn the theoretical side of GIS but also gain competency in a practical software environment, which can be critical for future job opportunities. Additionally, the course's open-source focus makes it cost-effective and accessible while also fostering a sense of community among learners who can share tools and resources. The quizzes at the end of each module serve as an excellent way to validate your understanding and retention of the material. Overall, this course is a fantastic stepping stone into the field of Geographic Information Systems and can serve as a fundamental building block for further studies or career advancement in geography, urban planning, environmental science, or data analysis. Sign up today and start mapping out your future!

Syllabus

Digitization – Territorial Modeling: Spatial elements and the characteristics

This first week deals with the first step in digitizing terrain, namely territorial modeling. In this week, we will consider factors such as the scale and theme of interest in order to determine which objects or spatial phenomena should included in the model, and we will also see how the geographic positioning and intrinsic nature (e.g. raster or vector) of these elements factors into how they are characterized in a terrain model.

Digitization - Geodata Capture and Documentation

Digital data acquisition involves various techniques including the direct measurement of primary data, the semi-automated vectorization and digitization of spatial objects, or the georeferencing of digital images. In this week’s module we will begin with a lesson on metadata in which we will discuss the processes and rules for documenting a dataset, which are essential for data sustainability, and we will also introduce a case study on participatory GIS in Senegal and Seychelles.

Digitization - Automated Capture and Use of Existing Geodata

In this week we will continue to build on the topic introduced last week with automatic vectorization, and we will also review a non-exhaustive list of some important pre-existent data sources that are available for you to access. We will finish with a case study of a Senegal-Mauritania biodiversity project before you will test your knowledge in the first quiz of the module.

Storage - Geodata Structure and Organization

In this 4th week, which marks the beginning of the second module of the course devoted to data storage, we begin by reviewing the fundamental aspects of geodata storage and the most common data formats, before tackling the theme of relational databases and data modeling. The week concludes with a lesson on creating databases in the QGIS environment and a case study on the role of GIS in a transport and urban planning project in Senegal.

Storage - Data Management with SQL

The SQL language is the preferred vector for access to relational databases, and can be used to search for data meeting certain criteria (conditional queries), to aggregate and calculate statistics on subsets of data (aggregation queries), to combine the results of several queries (nesting and merging), to edit and modify data, or even to manipulate data structure (DDL, DML).

Storage - Spatial SQL and NoSQL Databases

While the previous week's lessons dealt with various general aspects of the SQL language, in this week we will learn about SQL queries specifically related to the spatial dimensions and the relationships that characterize geodata (geometric and topological spatial queries). We will also present a brief introduction into the rapidly expanding field of noSQL databases and finish the lesson portion of this module with a case study devoted to bushfire management in sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, this first MOOC on an introduction to geographic information systems will conclude with a second quiz to test your knowledge.