Office Hours: 2-3 MW (right before class) or by appt. in Guggenheim 102B, Phone: 303-492-6760, Email: k.foote@colorado.edu
Office Hours: TBA, Office phone: 303-735-1084, Email: galenjmaclaurin@yahoo.com
Class: MW, 3:00-4:15 pm in MCOL E155, Lab meetings: M or W, 9:00-10:50 in GUGG 6 (KESDA computer lab).
On this page: Overview
| Grading
| Lab
Meetings | Textbooks
| Required
Supplies | Identikey, Internet Access and E-mail | KESDA
Laboratory Access and Use | Disabilities
Assistance | Religious
Observances | CU
Discrimination and
Harassment Policy | CU
Classroom Behavior Policy | CU Honor Code
Related pages: Schedule | Lecture and Discussion Notes | Assignments | GEOG 2053 Homepage | CU Geography Homepage | CU Homepage |
Mapping a Changing World provides an overview of modern cartography and the important roles maps play in today's world. In the sciences, maps are vital to the exploration of spatial and environment patterns and processes from Anthropology to Zoology. Maps are essential to commerce and business for marketing, sales, distribution, locational analysis, and strategic planning. In government, maps are used for urban planning, infrastructure management, census-based demographic analysis, redistricting of political jurisdictions, and many other applications. Mapping a Changing World is organized to give you a hands-on appreciation of some of these many ways in which maps, geographic information systems, air photographs, and satellite imagery are used in contemporary society. By the end of the semester, you should be able:
1) To create maps for research and term papers and professional reports
2) To gather and analyze information from maps for
study,
research, and personal enjoyment
3) To master the digital skills needed to find,
compile,
edit, and create useful maps
Mapping a Changing World
is organized around active-learning assignments and exams. The
active-learning assignments emphasize ways that cartographers and other
researchers use maps to address real-world research issues.
The
issues have been selected so that they raise a variety of technical and
methodological
problems related to the theory and practice of cartography. In
this way,
you will learn by experience how cartographers gather and weigh
evidence about
natural and human processes, employ maps and databases to represent and
model
real-life situations, analyze spatial, temporal, and functional
relationships,
and communicate findings cartographically and graphically and in
written and
spoken presentations. The assignments stress analytical reasoning
and how
such reasoning is supported by the use of maps, computers, and
information
technology.
Most of the course materials for Mapping a Changing World have been developed in hypermedia format as an on-line "electronic" textbook and lab manual in the Worldwide Web. The course does not assume previous experience with geographic information systems, mapping technologies or the Internet, though experience with Windows-based computers is valuable. The course is built around lectures, discussion and, of course, hands-on laboratory experience. The active-learning assignments make uses of popular software systems for mapping, graphics, and GIS. Practice with these systems will be of value in your future academic and professional work.
Your course grade will be based on six
active-learning
projects (65% of your final grade), two exams (each 15% of your final
grade),
and lab attendance (5% of your final
grade). The active-learning projects are:
Attendance is required at all lab sessions.
One book is required for this course:
Brewer, Cynthia A.
2005. Designing
Better Maps: A Guide for GIS Users. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press.
I have not placed an order for this book through the bookstore. It can be ordered, instead, directly from the publishers' Web pages (http://www.esri.com) or you may wish to comparison shop among Web bookstores such as http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Other study materials are online in the Web or will be distributed by email. The following are optional sources that you may wish to purchase if you find them useful:
During the course of the semester you will need to purchase about $20-60 in computer supplies for the laboratory exercises. You will need to buy one memory stick (at least 1GB of free space) and 6-10 empty CDs or DVDs for backing up data and projects. These should be purchased immediately for use in lab.
You will be making extensive use of the Geography
Department's KESDA computer lab, the Internet, Worldwide Web, and
E-mail.
Be sure that you have a valid CU Identikey
password
and working email account. For more information see: 1) http://www.colorado.edu/its/docs/accounts/activate.html
and
2) Getting
Started with Campus Technology
(http://www.colorado.edu/ITS/gettingstarted/)
The course requires you to spend time working in the department's KESDA computer lab on the ground floor of Guggenheim Hall. You should plan to spend at least 4-5 hours in the laboratory every week, in addition to your time in lab/recitation. Please study the guidelines for using the computer laboratory which are available online . These rules will be enforced strictly during the semester and their violation will result in loss of laboratory privileges.
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services to me in the first two weeks of the class so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities.
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students should notify the Counselor for Students with Disabilities, Disability Services Office, located in Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671) and their instructors of any special needs. If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671). See also www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
This University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap." Disabilities covered by law include but are not limited to learning disabilities and hearing, sight or mobility impairments. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please see me or the Coordinator of Services to students with disabilities in the Disability Services Office, Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671), so that such accommodations may be arranged.
I encourage students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, psychiatric disabilities, to discuss with me, after class or during my office hours, appropriate accommodations.
If conflicts arise between class meetings, assignment deadlines, or examinations and holidays or celebrations observed by your religion, please notify me, Professor Foote, at least two weeks in advance of a given conflict so that suitable schedule accommodations can be made.Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments orrequired attendance. See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Students
and faculty each have responsibility
for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail
to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline.
Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with
understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and
to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students
express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are
especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing
with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual
orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. See polices at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html
and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are
responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy
of this
institution.Violations of this policy may include: cheating,
plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery,
and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct
shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu;
303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the
academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions
from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not
limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other
information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html
and at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
Last revised 2008.7.28. KEF