Resource Mapping

Thursday, June 08, 2006

CAPE TOWN: CLEARING UP THE MAPTRIX ISSUE

Hi eveyone

I wish to clarrify the Maptrix - this is an exercise intended to help with map reading skills, especially reading 1:50 000 topo-sheet at schools. You were asked to use this so you had access sections to 1:50 000 sheets and to formally assess and refine your Map Reading skills. The PAPER based Maptrix you should be familiar with and you were asked to evaluate the electronic version.

Your report for assignment 3 is based on two parts

Part A, to develop an evaluation of the electronic version of Maptrix (based on your knowldedge of using both paper and electronic systems). On the planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/gis website there is an evaluation system for the paper-based Maptrix. Following on this evaluation which would you recommend most for teaching and widespread use at school, and are there any changes you consider necessary to the electronic version.


Part B of ASSIGNMENT 3 actually assumes that you have started with ASSIGNMENT 4 and have used our SANBI BGIS Web Map Services and been through the on-line GIS tutorial - this is a GIS. Once you have done this you need to write it up in about 1000 words contrasting the use of Maps and GIS (the electronic version of Maptrix should still be considered a Map rather than a GIS.... why?).

I hope this clears up any confussion(s).

Cheers

Rich

CAPE TOWN GROUP: IDRISI PROGRESS

Hi Everyone,

I think I did not make it sufficiently clear, you need to work on Idrisi (Tutorial Part 4) in your own time. Z29 Lab is available and you will need to invest at least twenty hours before attempting the exam learning how to use it (the recommended time states about 6 hours). The Exam is 100% based on this and is set for three days at the end of the course and counts 50% of all your marks in Resource Mapping. During this time most students have expected to spend at least ten hours per day. I am afraid this is not trivial (but is also not difficult since it is part of the USA K12 Geogrpahy syllabus).

At the risk of repeating myself, you are expected to work in Z29 during your own time to complete the IDRISI tutorial, unfortunately the licensing prevents me from issuing the software to you- it can only be used in the Lab. You can obtain your own personal copies valid while you are a registered student at greatly reduced cost. I will find out more and post on this site.

Cheers


Rich

PRETORIA GROUP IDRISI


Hi Everyone in Pretoria

Can you please confirm that IDRISI is installed on your PCs in Pretoria- I installed it for last year's learners, just go to start (bottom left) programs and from the list IDRISI32 should be available and please check that it launches.


The IDRISI tutorial is available from the following link

http://planet.uwc.ac.za/NISL/GIS/IDRISI/Idrisi32%20Tutorial/Documents/tutorial.pdf


You will only be doing Tutorial Part 4 section. It is important that you print out these pages of the manual - otherwise it cannot be done (pages 162 to 189)

You will need to make a start on this next week.


Please confirm by the end of today that Idrisi is installed and that you will print out pages 162 to 189 of the IDRISI tutorial.

Cheers

Rich