Day 1

Unit 1

• History of geospatial analysis in anthropology: evolution of tools and questions
• Definitions of RS and GIS
• Basic understanding of geospatial data
• IC: Participants discuss research questions and needs

Tutorial

Getting Started with GIS Tutorial

Unit 2

• Research design: sampling in time and space, data requirements, matching questions and data limitations
• RS data search principles
• IC: Intensive data search and evaluation
• discussion of data choices, research scenarios, and analytical pathways

Reading

Brondizio, E., and R. R. Chowdhury (forthcoming). Spatial-Temporal Methodologies in Environmental Anthropology: Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Landscape Changes and Local Knowledge. In Environmental Anthropology: Methodologies and Research Design. I. Vaccaro, E. A. Smith, and S. Aswani, eds. Pp. 1-31. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge

Day 2

Unit 1

• Understanding basic raster and vector data structures
• Visualization, resolution, and evaluation of visibility and invisibility of landscape features, and categorical scales
• IC: Hands on visualization, color composites, and thematic coding

Reading

NASA. The Basic Principles behind Remote Sensing. Remote Sensing tutorial from NASA, http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Front/tofc.html (accessed April 28, 2010).

CIESIN Thematic Guides. Basic intro to remote sensing. Excerpt from Social Science Applications of Remote Sensing, http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/tg (accessed April 28, 2010).

Unit 2

• GIS vector layer processing
• Importing and adjusting projections
• Creating point, line, and polygon layers
• Small digitalization
• IC: hands-on GIS manipulation

Day 3

Unit 1

• Image georeferencing principles, map georeferencing, and layer staking
• IC: Hands on georeferencing exercises

Reading

Dana, Peter H. The Geographer’s Craft Project, Department of Geography, The University of Colorado at Boulder.

• Geodetic Datum Overview
• Coordinate Systems
• Map Projections

ESRI Map Projections and Coordinate Systems Help File Tab

Unit 2

• Thematic Classification-different kinds of classification
• spectral signature overview
• IC: land cover classification exercise; interpreting land use patterns; basic runs of unsupervised and supervised image classification

Day 4

Unit 1

• Overview of change detection procedures: conceptual and technical considerations
• IC: Hands on change detection exercises using images and maps

Reading

Green, G. M., C. M. Schweik, and J. Randolph (2005). Linking Disciplines Across Space and Time: Useful Concepts and Approaches for Land-Cover Change Studies. In Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Human-Environment Interactions in Forest Ecosystems. E. F. Moran, and E. Ostrom, eds. Pp. 61-80. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Unit 2

• GIS analysis: layer operations, cross-tabulations, survey data integration, data extraction
• IC: Hands on GIS data analysis

Reading

Bolstad, P. (2005). Basic Spatial Analyses. In GIS Fundamentals, a First Text on Geographic Information Systems. Pp. 225-66. St. Paul, MN: Eider Press.

Day 5

Unit 1

• Ethical issues and data sharing
• Preparing images and maps for fieldwork, principles of participatory mapping and interview techniques, training sample protocol
• IC: Preparing images and maps for the field

Unit 2

• What we have accomplished and what is next
• IC: Individual project discussion and upcoming research steps