Geospatial Information Systems/Networking
The purpose of this class is to help students learn about their local community through the use of Geospatial. Students are challenged to understand and solve problems. The instructor uses both academic study and applied instruction to achieve measurable results. Students participate in structured, applied learning exercises using local geographic data sources provided by SPACESTARS, including; a High Resolution Satellite/Air photo centered on the school, a Landsat multispectral image of the county, and over 144 GIS layers at the county level.
(S.T.A.R.S) Spatial Technology and Remote Sensing
Students learn how to solve locally based problems. Each project/application has an emphasis on a career cluster and the unique way problems are solved using GIS. Problem solving is the key to success in these classroom-based projects. For example, in business it’s location, location, location. Students pick a business and find the optimal site for it. Then, they learn how to show the final project as a three dimensional model of the community! The students plan, conduct and present solutions in other study area, such as: vegetation analysis, school bus routing, and school-based emergency management solutions.
(S.P.A.C.E) Spatial Projects and Community Exchange Lab
Students take on community-based problems and work through them in this applied, problem-solving lab. They choose a problem to tackle and the appropriate group in which to work. They use the skills that they have learned in the past two years of the SPACESTARS program and apply them to real world community based problems. They may work with the Police Department, Fire Department, City Planners, environmental groups, or other community mentors. The projects are student-driven, student-planned, student-conducted and student-presented within a teacher-guided laboratory.
Starting salaries of most Geospatial Information System/Networking graduates range from $15,000 - $24,000 per year depending upon job location and level of training (Certificate or AAS degree).
“Geospatial information is increasingly becoming the driving force for decision making across the local to global continuum.” *
* Examples of work tasks that utilize GIS Technology include:
- Planning Urban Growth
- Managing a Forest
- Implementing “Precision Farming”
- Designing a Cellular Phone Network
- Guiding “Intelligent” Vehicles
- Monitoring Air Quality
- Mapping Natural Hazards and Disasters
- Managing a City
- Designing a Road System
-
Designing a Utility System
* Sample Job Titles include: - Geographer
- Cartographer
- Physical Scientist
- GIS Analyst
- Database Administrator
- Applications Specialist
- Project Manager
- Remote Sensing Scientist
- Surveyor
- Photogrammetrist
* Source: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing at www.ASPRS.org