The course program focuses on the GIS fundamentals and aims to give some skills on geographic data management and on thematic maps production. Earth Sciences include disciplines using GIS more than other, as Geomorphology, Digital Geological Survey, Hydrogeology, Landslides and Seismic Risks Assessment, Groundwater Modeling, Land and Conutry Planning.

What are Geographic Information systems. The technologies that have changed the geographic information management by  going from traditional cartography to the digital world. What is a geographic information system (GIS) and who does use the  geographic information systems. The nature of geographic data and how does manage them. The geographic data as sample observations and the concepts to infer  data about locations missing information. Representing geographic data relative to discrete objects and continuous  fields: vectors and rasters. Georeferencing data to place the digital objects relative to the Earth surface. The software managing the geographic information. Data storage, data processing, display functions, data management. The three main types of architecture to implement GIS. Modeling the real world with a geographic database. Geographic data models in a digital system. Sources of geographic information and methods to enter it into a GIS. Methods of geographic data capture and data transfer. The Geometries of geographic data and the Attribute data: collection and  organization. The role of databases in geographic information systems. The management of large and complex database with specialist database  management systems (DBMS) software to organize, storage and access data. Cartography and geographic information systems: criteria of composing  a thematic map. The production of digital and hardcopy thematic maps with GIS. Spatial concepts of analysis and modeling with some examples by using software.

Achievement of the fundamental skills on GIS and of the ability to realize a GIS project and use the main spatial analysis tools.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lectures with simulated software project.

Attendance

Course attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended, because the course shall cover subjects strictly related to the use of software.

Course books

"GIS Open Source per geologia e ambiente" - Analisi e gestione dei dati territoriali e ambientali con QGIS.  (disponibile anche in formato elettronico) http://www.darioflaccovio.it/gis-open-source/281-gis-open-source-per-geologia-e-ambiente.html - 352 pagine - Formato: 17x24 - Prima Edizione ottobre 2014 - Ristampa: Prima, febbraio 2015 - ISBN 9788857903392  -  Autore: Valerio Noti - Dario Flaccovio Editore.

• To gain more insights it is suggested to read the free online text:"Geospatial Analysis, a Comprehensive Guide to Principles, Techniques, and Software Tools" 5th edition, authors: Michael de Smith, Michael F. Goodchild, Paul A. Longley (edizione web) 

Assessment

The final exam consists of questions about the topics and lab exercises covered in class.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.