GIS Education for Mapping Professionals
Joseph Kerski
Cartographer, U.S. Geological Survey Box 25046 - MS 507, Denver CO 80225-0046 USA Tel 303-202-4315 Fax 303-202-4137 Email: jjkerski@usgs.gov Alan Ward Training and Education Coordinator U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046 - MS 507 Denver CO 80225-0046 USA Tel 303-202-4497 Fax 303-202-4020 Email: amward@usgs.gov Introduction Improving employee literacy in the geographic information sciences is critical to the mission of all cartographic organizations. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) instituted a geographic information sciences training program at its Rocky Mountain Mapping Center (RMMC) in Denver, Colo., USA. The purpose of this program was to ensure that employees at all levels of the organization could access training to improve their knowledge, skills and proficiencies in the geographic information sciences. As one of four mapping centers within the U.S. Geological Survey's National Mapping Division, RMMC personnel are responsible for gathering analog and digital spatial data, establish mapping standards and conduct multidisciplinary environmental, geologic, biologic, geographic, and hydrologic research. Driven by rapid changes in technology which have shifted customer requirements, RMMC finds its cartographic role expanding to include spatial applications and analysis in geography, geology, biology, and hydrology. Customers of USGS data demand employees proficient in geographic information systems technology and applications such as global positioning systems (GPS) and remote sensing. Planning for the proposed training program included analyzing the following questions: (1) What trends in mapping technology could be anticipated? (2) What were the benefits of increasing the overall awareness and expertise of employees in the geographic information sciences? (3) What was needed for Mapping Center personnel to begin to offer geospatial solutions to its customers instead of physical data sets alone? and (4) Could a systematic training process in geographic information science adequately support the increasing role of the USGS in integrated earth science applications? A shift in focus from automated mapping to earth science applications expertise was aligned with the USGS National Mapping Division's (NMD) Strategic Plan. This plan identified geographic information sciences as a core business area. In addition, rapidly increasing demand for digital geospatial data to feed geographic information systems was considered a key issue facing the USGS over the coming decade. A multiyear training program in the geographic information sciences involving all levels of the organization would enable the RMMC to address these changing requirements proactively. The envisioned training program would need to challenge and motivate all employees, regardless of job description and technical expertise, to increase their knowledge of the geographic information sciences. Some employees would benefit merely from increased awareness, while others were in a position to improve their working knowledge. Employees with extensive backgrounds in the geographic information sciences could utilize classes in the program to develop additional expertise and increase their knowledge base. Forming A Team Ten employees were selected for an education team that would develop a comprehensive program to serve the learning needs of an educationally diverse workforce. Team members had a variety of backgrounds in the geographic information sciences, ranging from research, program management, and spatial data production to information distribution functions. The Survey An organizational survey was done to establish how employees were working with geospatial data and to what degree. The survey also established how these data were being used and the types of training that were needed. Responses were elicited not only from cartographers and cartographic technicians but also from computer specialists, technical information specialists, customer service representatives, and administrative personnel. The survey results indicated that all respondents used computerized geospatial data in some form. Geospatial data use included vector, raster, imagery, hardcopy, database, and various Internet formats. Employees surveyed reported that their external and internal customers demanded knowledge in the areas of product availability, data applications, software and hardware requirements, new products, technical specifications, and ordering procedures. The team met regularly over the next several months, designing a training program that would provide an entry point into the geographic information sciences for employees regardless of background. After management review and approval, this training process was named "The Geographic Information Sciences Education Program." It was announced as an organization wide initiative in October 1998. The Program Since the objective of this training program is to raise the literacy level in geographic information sciences for the entire Mapping Center, it must offer an entry point for all employees, regardless of technical background. With the wide variety of job titles and position descriptions, including research and production cartographers, cartographic technicians, geographers, physical scientists, information specialists, senior and middle level managers, supervisors, customer service representatives, financial personnel, administrative personnel, secretaries, materials handlers, and laborers, this was a challenging task. To ensure that all employees could find a starting point in this education program, the team designed three levels of internal certification, creating a developmental ladder in the geographic information sciences. Beginning with the basic certification level, employees with little or no background can improve their awareness of cartography, geography, and computers as a foundation to understanding geospatial concepts. At the intermediate level, employees develop a working knowledge of geospatial technology and become capable of applying specific geospatial software packages and concepts. At the advanced level, employees gain advanced working knowledge and a chance to sharpen their expertise in geospatial technology, including the use of specific software packages. Each of the three levels offers core and elective classes from which employees can choose (Appendix A). The team chose core and elective classes that would provide a logical developmental framework and also allow emphasis in areas of special interest. The goal was not necessarily to achieve the most advanced level of certification, but to offer a way of gaining as much knowledge as is desired. Once the final class lists were compiled, academic contacts helped evaluate the curriculum as a way of providing a solid foundation and sequential development of skills. This internal certification has no official status with the Office of Personnel Management's Federal job classification but can be useful for internal management when considering promotions or reassignments. Not every employee wants certification, but for those who do, it boosts confidence about their skills and motivates them to seek additional training. Because RMMC employees have diverse backgrounds, two methods of achieving basic certification are offered. Employees can either complete all core and a specified number of elective classes (Appendix A) or "challenge" the level by submitting written statements to a list of competencies (Appendix B). Employee names are removed from the challenges to allow the evaluation team to focus on the criteria instead of the individual involved. A total of 20 points are available for each numbered competency. A minimum of 14 points (averaged from the assessment of at least five education team members) are needed to pass each of the competencies. Feedback for those scoring less than 14 points for any competency is provided in the form of a written recommendation suggesting additional classes or work experience. Once these recommendations are completed, the employee is encouraged to resubmit the written challenge. To achieve intermediate and advanced certification, employees can choose to complete a written challenge. If they decide to take the core and elective classes (Appendix A), they are still required to complete a written challenge. Although scoring is identical to the basic certification criteria, there is an increasing emphasis on work experience in these levels. Again, a written recommendation is provided to anyone who does not pass a written challenge, suggesting additional class or work experience. Once certification requirements are met for a specific level, the training officer notifies the Personnel Office to create an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), indicating the level of certification earned. This document is included in the employee's personnel file. A hard copy certificate, suitable for framing, is presented to the employee. Education in the geographic information sciences is a lifelong learning process. The team recognizes that rapid development in the geographic information sciences requires recertification. Although there is no requirement to recertify for level I basic, employees are encouraged to request and attend classes in the geographic information sciences annually. To maintain certification in the intermediate and advanced levels, a person must take at least one approved course every 3 years. Courses taken at the next higher certification level count toward recertification requirements. Constraints Twenty percent of RMMC's annual training budget was committed to this multiyear program starting in fiscal year 1999. Since participation is largely voluntary and training initiatives normally take some time to catch on, budget impact in the first year was minimal. As in any large training initiative, participation is expected to build over the first few years. Instructor delivered classes are held during normal working hours and often use in-house training facilities. Electronic classes, such as the Virtual Campus from Environmental Sciences Research Institute (ESRI), are gaining in popularity. Virtual classes offer the ability to complete some of the modules on the employee's home computer. It should be noted that virtual or computerbased training is not a good fit for all employees. Some require the constant and immediate feedback from live instruction. Program Assessment Nearly 100 employees were involved in these training courses the first year. Since, at this writing, the program is only 14 months old, it is difficult to assess the organizational effectiveness and impact of this training. As participation is largely voluntary, response to the program has been varied. Many employees, desirous for any learning opportunity that will improve their skills, have already completed several courses. Some employees are skeptical as to the actual value of the program and appear to be taking a "wait and see" approach. Employees uninterested in taking any of the classes, even though they may be strongly encouraged to participate by coworkers and managers, do not see how the training relates to them. As the program gains momentum, skeptical employees may take advantage of more classes, especially when noted that an employee can reach the top of the list for a new job or attractive assignment as a result of geographic information sciences certification. Written challenges have been utilized in all of the 12 certifications awarded to date. The experiential requirements of levels II and III make these levels more difficult to achieve via the written challenge method. Based on the number of employees taking classes towards the basic certification, we estimate 25 additional employees will achieve level I certification by the end of the current fiscal year through coursework. Once an employee gains a level of certification, that person hopefully will be motivated to work towards the next level. As many employees with a "wait and see" attitude are looking for advancement, if they determine certifications actually help with gaining new assignments or promotions, the program will continue to grow. According to Cordova (1999), a GIS certification program should identify a worker's commitment to his or her profession, cover fundamentals and principles rather than specific hardware packages, and document a worker's knowledge. RMMC's program should accomplish these worthy goals as well as raise the level of awareness, knowledge and expertise in the geographic information sciences throughout the Mapping Center. It would be a mistake to judge the success of this program merely on the number of certifications issued since the emphasis is not on the certification itself, but on developing background and expertise in the geographic information sciences. A second organization wide survey in August 2000 will offer a new measure of the effectiveness of this program, as well as provide suggestions on program enhancements. Eventually it is expected that a large percentage of employees will attend multiple courses in this program. As long as courses are high quality, and employees have the appropriate background, this training initiative will continue to help RMMC meet growing customer demands for USGS information. From an organizational viewpoint, anything that motivates employees to improve their awareness and skills as well as making training more accessible to employees is positive. Training can increase organizational effectiveness when it is the right training, for the right employee, at the right time. In order for this program to continue to build momentum, visibility to both management and working level employees is essential. Constantly communicating, selling, and promoting this program will help keep employee and management interest keen. Advertising the courses, as well as getting out the word that this is essential training, will continue to support us in our changing mission involving the geographic information sciences. Managers need to see for themselves that training accomplished in this program actually improves workforce capabilities. Once they are convinced, they need to stress the benefits of this training to their employees, letting them know how it fits into their personal future and the future of the National Mapping Program. Word of mouth advertising in our organization is encouraging some employees to at least achieve the basic level of certification. The role of the RMMC Training and Education Coordinator is to provide educational career counseling in support of the program. Plain talk on the importance of developing capabilities in the geographic information sciences is essential for employees wondering how they fit into the organization's new orientation. Making this training program personally and professionally relevant will maintain motivation, something necessary to take multiple classes over a long period. Training Administration The need for tracking completed training cannot be underestimated. The long-term success of this program hinges on our ability to maintain comprehensive records of completed classes as well as constantly evaluating all courses in the program. The Mapping Center maintains an Oracle training database which includes detailed course information and descriptive class evaluations. Classes evaluated as "poor" are closely examined. Was the poor evaluation a result of incorrect class fit (too easy, too hard)? Was the quality of the instruction inadequate? Was the training delivery system incorrectly matched to the learning style and/or skill level of the student? Why would employees voluntarily pursue one of these education levels, especially since this certification program is not designed to translate directly to industry standards or even to other federal agencies? In a rapidly changing work environment, accomplishing one or more levels of certification helps employees compete for internal work assignments and new jobs. It is important to stress that certification is not the goal of this program; it is the practical and immediately useful knowledge gained from the course work that is most important. This supports both the employee's development and the needs of the organization. Some managers thought this program was important enough to direct their employees to achieve specific levels of certification while others preferred to encourage employees to request the classes that would lead to basic certification. Employees with good background knowledge in the geographic information sciences should be better able to meet the needs of USGS customers, Congress, other Federal agencies, private businesses, educators, and individual consumers. Future Plans In the near term, we recognize the need to create a level IV expert certification for those who desire to develop beyond level III. This new level may include master's-level academic training or doctorate studies as well as work experiences as a GIS project leader. Teaching will be an important component of this advanced level. Of course, those attempting the expert level would need to complete all the requirements of the advanced level. The need to continually update class requirements in each of the certification levels is apparent. As technology is rapidly changing in this field, course requirements must be modified as well. The curriculum of this certification program will be examined for currency at least biannually, at which times outdated courses will be dropped and new courses will be added. Appendix A Certification Class Matrix
Geographic Information Sciences Class Descriptions: Air Photo Interpretation & Analysis-Basic - (also known as: Basic Air Photo Interpretation) - Photo interpretation concepts, characteristics of aerial photography, equipment, photogrammetry, stereoscope use, photo interpretation, orthophotography and land use/land cover analysis. Air Photo Interpretation & Analysis - Advanced. Applications of USGS Products. Arc Info Introduction. Arc Macro Language (AML) - Directives, variables and functions, special characters in AML, branching, looping, handling errors, modularity, program design, menus, coordinate manipulation, character strings, file input and output, cursors, coding your own programs. Arc View Intro (University College) - A hands-on experience and conceptual overview needed to understand and use ArcView GIS software. Basic ArcView functionality will be introduced and students will become familiar with the components of the ArcView graphical user interface. ArcView GIS project planning and organization will also be addressed. Avenue Programming. Basic Geographic, Spatial and Geographic Information Systems Concepts (University College, Denver University) - A general overview of GIS including background, development, trends, and future directions. A substantive focus on environmental impact and resource management applications, emphasizing satellite/ remote sensing data sources and raster applications. Cartography: Intro- (Academic) Cartographic principles, coordinate systems, projections, history of maps and mapping. Cartography: Advanced (University of Denver: Advanced Computer Cartography) - Structuring and use of computerized cartographic data files, user-oriented mapping systems, and a comprehensive collection of geographic display-program modules. Computer Algorithms and Data Structures. Computer Programming: Introduction (Metro State College of Denver: Introduction to Structured Programming) - Students will learn a modern structured programming language and the basic skills needed to analyze problems and construct programs for their solution. The emphasis of the course is on the techniques of algorithm development and programming style, including top-down design and structured programming methods. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of software engineering and the software development life cycle. Computer Science Intro (Academic) - An introduction to the basic operation of the personal computer. The focus will be on the Windows operating systems, associated software, familiarity with the most common commands and tasks. Other topics include: an overview of PC hardware and introduction to Netscape. Data Integration Into GIS. Data Visualization. Design and Implement GIS Databases. Finding Geospatial Data on the Web. Federal & Industry Work Cooperatives Geographic Information Systems: Advanced (University of Denver) - Vector GIS software packages including PC-ARC/Info used to explore technical aspects of planning, implementation, operation, and management of a GIS; focus on actual applications, issues, and problems. Geographic Information Systems: Intro (Colorado State University) - Fundamental concepts of spatial data handling and computer-assisted map analysis. Geography Intro - Major geographic themes applied to selected regions; physical environment, human/land relationships, regional analysis. Geology Intro - Earth materials, history, structure, surface features, soils formation, and geological processes involved in their development. Geospatial Data Integration. Geospatial Data Standards Issues. GIS for Managers (University College) - This course introduces students to the use of geographic information systems as a tool for environmental management, problem solving and decision-making. Students will gain an understanding of the usefulness and applicability of GIS to a broad array of environmental applications and programs. Although not a technical course, it does cover key GIS terms and concepts as a background to understand the use of GIS for a wide array of environmental applications, including natural resources management, hazardous materials management, risk management and environmental compliance issues. GIS "In" Series - Presentations from those in private industry who use USGS data in various projects, including environmental, urban planning, transportation and energy. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Intro (University College: GPS for GIS) - An introduction to GPS concepts, techniques, and applications as they relate to GIS data collection. Lectures will focus on satellite surveying, GPS technology, error sources, program planning, data collection design, and quality control and quality assurance issues for data collection programs. Hydrology: Intro - Study of hydrologic cycle, precipitation processes, soil moisture, infiltration, ground water, rainfall-runoff processes, use of water resources. Illustrator, Adobe. Making USGS data "Web Available." Map Info - Covers using this graphics package to retrieve status information on USGS digital data. Display of raster and digital data and anything associated with GIS data. Includes introduction to GIS applications. Map Interpretation: Intro: (In-house) Coordinate systems, projections, symbology, topographic representation and so on. Overview of NMD Products: (In-house) An overview of all products produced by the National Mapping Division, who is using them, how to access them, and how they tie in to GIS. Photo Shop - Graphics software package, both MAC and PC based, editing scanned photographs, copying, pasting, duplicating selections, moving selections and moving images. Remote Sensing Applications. Remote Sensing: Intro (University College: Introduction to Remote Sensing & Image Processing). Provides a survey of remote sensing technologies, applications, and the industry. Introductions to the electromagnetic spectrum, energy sources, radiation principles, aerial cameras, and electronic imaging provide the building blocks to a thorough understanding of remote sensing. An overview of the various high-altitude and space-based collection systems and their characteristics, with a view toward future systems and capabilities. Exposure to techniques of extracting relevant information from both hard-copy and digital imagery. Remote Sensing With ERDAS and PCI. Scanning Software. Spatial Statistics. Statistics: Intro (Metro) - An introduction to the principles and techniques of descriptive statistics, including probability distributions. Students will be able to learn the subjects of estimation and inferential statistics in their chosen study. Appendix B: Qualifying Competencies Qualifying competencies for: Level I Basic (Goal: Develop awareness of cartography, geography and computers as a background to understanding geospatial concepts: experience required: none).
Cordova, H. 1999. GIS certification sparks second thoughts. GeoWorld 12(5): 10. May. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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