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Complete process steps one and two individually. You will demonstrate what you have learned by working cooperatively with two other students in step three.
Step 1
Complete the questions on the Background Information Worksheet #1. The worksheet incorporates information from the following websites that introduce geospatial technologies.
NASA Sci Files – How does GPS work?
Video can be streamed from this website:
http://video.google.com/videoplay
Video can be downloaded from this website:
http://nasa.ibiblio.org/details.php?videoid=6519&start=0&query=gps&action=search
ESRI – What is GIS?
Presentation
http://www.esri.com/flashmedia/whatisgis.swf
ESRI – What is GIS?
Information Document
http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/whatisgis.pdf
GIS Touches All Our Lives, Everyday
http://www.esri.com/company/gis_touches/everyday.html
Step 2
Learn how the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is using geospatial technologies to manage and preserve Ohio’s natural areas. Complete the Background Information Worksheet #2.
ODNR Geographic Information Management Systems Office
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/15402/Default.aspx
Lake Erie GIS
Map Viewer
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/website/ocm_gis/mapviewer_app/
Sustainable Land Development Interview with Robert Stonerock
http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/19160/Default.aspx
Lake Erie Coastal Management Interview with Brian George
http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/19151/Default.aspx
Preserving Ohio’s Native Plants Interview with Melissa Moser
http://ohiodnr.com/Education/prairies/moser/tabid/9538/Default.aspx
Step 3
Develop a scenario where you will work as an assistant to one of the professionals profiled to address a local problem in your community using GPS and/or GIS.
Assume the three individuals profiled in process step two are going to hire an assistant to help them solve a natural resource issue in your community. You are this person and will serve as an “assistant specialist.” Each group member should select one of the three professionals with whom they would like to work. Using your teacher, the ODNR website and other local resources, find a real situation or develop a hypothetical natural resource issue in your local area that you will solve using geospatial technologies. For example, invasive species might be present in a local wetland. How might you work with Melissa Moser to address this problem? Your goal is to answer the question listed in the “Task” of this assignment, “How can geospatial technologies help us manage and preserve our natural resources?”
Another member of the group will interview the “assistant specialist.” These interviews may be done live in front of the class or recorded on video. Each group member should conduct and be the subject of an interview. Sample questions might include:
1. What is the problem you are trying to address?
2. Why skills do you have as a professional to address this problem?
3. How do GPS and GIS technologies work?
4. How will those technologies help address this problem?
5. What other skills are necessary?
An alternative to a live or taped interview would be a fictional newspaper story or magazine article profiling the “assistant specialist” and his or her work.
An extension of this assignment would be to contact a local GIS specialist to see how geospatial technologies are being used in your local area. Soil and water conservation offices, local universities and local governments are good resources for this information.
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