Date: March 22nd, 2023
Location: State College, PA
Hi again! This is just a quick update for this trip. Not much is happening since we're still a few weeks out from this trip but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging forever.
So because we’re doing a lot of technical stuff with our project (and it sounds like our project is going to be massive and multifaceted), we have to do a good amount of reading about GIScience from this one textbook. It’s a bit overwhelming at first and reading wall after wall of text is not my favorite way to learn since it slips my mind more easily than doing that on top of some practical application, but it’s definitely been a bit helpful. The readings we were assigned to do actually come from a textbook used for a class called GEOG 160: Mapping our Changing World. It just so happens that I’m currently in the 200-level equivalent of that class so some of what we’ve covered in our readings are familiar to me. But I’m only halfway through my class so there was still a lot of new information in there for me.
For the first chapter of the reading was all about giving the readers an overview of basic GIScience and Technology. It covered things like data and information, location and attributes, maps, and more. Because of my class, I was already super familiar with pretty much everything in this chapter. The next chapter was a bit on the shorter side and covered some topics that I still knew about but had a bit less knowledge and practice on. This chapter spoke about something called the cartographic process (which I don’t think I’ve heard before this reading despite knowing a good sum about the contents) and how it’s important. This chapter also talked about different map types and graphic variables used on maps on top of recognizing certain things about maps (what do the categories show, is this the most appropriate map type for a given set of data, is this map misleading, etc.) All in all, things that I learned pretty recently.
The chapter I had to read after that one also covered a lot of topics that I was already taught before. But this reading really went into a lot more depth. One example of this is how I was already taught about something called Attributes in GIScience and they have these four levels of measurements. I knew a bit about the four levels of measurement and their names (nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio) but the chapter dedicated a good couple of paragraphs to each of those levels and that really helped me further my understanding of this topic and realize its importance to GIS.
The last chapter though was a lot of technical stuff and case studies. I really did try to read it thoroughly but a lot of it went over my head even after a few attempts of trying to understand it. That being said, the majority of the concepts covered in the chapter weren’t new for me and acted more like a few placed in two very real-life settings so that definitely helped me fare better. But overall, it was a lot more review for me and little less new information (though there were definitely still moments where I did get to learn something new).
But how does this all relate to what I study in school now? So, as I said in my previous journal entry, I’m a geography major in the department of geography. My focus is specifically on climatology and sociology though. Either way, as a geography major, knowing how to use geospatial tools are not only really helpful, but they’re also necessary to graduate with my major. So having that little knowledge I know about geospatial tools and just geography altogether because my classes have already helped prepare me for this geospatial project. Of course, since I’m currently in a couple of geography courses right now, I know I’ll continue getting more knowledge to really help me get ahead in this geospatial project. Though I still always have more to know about GIS I’m definitely considered a beginner so I believe there’s a lot in that category that I’m lacking. And I could always use a little more information about COVID-19 and the specific aspects of the pandemic that’ll be working with on our geospatial project.
Alright that it's for now! Again, I still have some time before going on this trip since it starts on May 6th but I still wanted to keep this thing active while I'm waiting for the trip to start. Thanks for tuning in! Until next time!
- DD
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