Texts, Materials, and Technology

Text(s):

Gorr, Wilpen L. and Kristen S. Kurland. 2016. GIS Tutorial 1: Basic Workbook for ArcGIS 10.3.x. 6^th ed. ESRI  ISBN 10: 1589484568. Note you must purchase a new copy to have access to the downloadable 6-month software trial).

Campbell, Jonathan and Michael Shin. 2011. Essentials of Geographic Information Systems. UCLA and Saylor Foundation. V. 1.0.  https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/essentials-of-geographic-information-systems. ISBN 13: 9781453321966. No purchase required. This book is available free online.

Technology: This course requires the use of Chalk & Wire (C&W). If you don’t have an account, yet, please contact Heritage University Student Accounts, 509-865-8507 or smiskin_g@heritage.edu  Note: “All first-semester students taking University 101 will receive C&W Accounts and training from their instructors,” or for upper division courses in cohort model: “All students in this course will receive their accounts from their faculty member prior to the first Chalk & Wire Assignment. Training will be provided.”

This course also requires off-campus access to a computer capable of running the course software, ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop. You can test your computer’s suitability here: http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/CLIENT/STANDARD/?APIKEY=50F41142-39B0-4061-97C2-BA7B7FE43D0E&REFID=1186&ITEM=10913

. Please let me know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you don’t have a suitable computer. Other software needs include Microsoft office products (excel, word, powerpoint, a web browser and any pdf viewer).

Assignments and Grading

Assignment Title/Type       Points/Percentage of Course Grade

Assignments                                    50 %

Mid-Term Exam                               15 %

Final Project and Presentation     20 %

Participation and Effort                 15 %

Grade Scale:

                     Grade    Percent

Course Guidelines and Expectations

• General Expectations

Class sessions will be held online on Zoom and will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and tutorial exercises. Attendance is expected and prior arrangements should be made for absences. All sessions will be recorded. If you miss a session you must watch the video and complete a study sheet by the end of the week to demonstrate your engagement with the content to receive full participation points (15% of your grade). Students are expected to arrive on time to Zoom sessions, having completed the assigned reading and prepared to discuss/participate.

• Description of Assignment Types

There will be 6 graded assignments. 5 will be taken from the tutorial workbook, with one due every couple weeks. A specific grading rubric will be provided for each assignment. Assignments must be handed in on time to avoid penalties of 20% per day. If you are struggling please reach out in advance for support. I am happy to help. While tutorials are not graded, their completion prepares students to be successful in the graded assignments. I will spot check tutorial completion.

The 3/4-Term Exam will be worth 15% of your grade. It will cover foundational concepts used in GIS. Scored out of a total of 100 points, the questions will be derived from assigned readings, lecture material, and tutorial exercises.

The final project will be a map that you create based on your personal/professional interest that answers a geographic question and includes some form of spatial analysis (a rubric will detail the requirements). Assignment 6 is a draft project concept due on a specified date before Thanksgiving Break.  Your final project will be uploaded as a portfolio item in Chalk & Wire as a sample of your accomplishments at HU.  You will give a brief presentation to your peers about your project during the last days of the course.

Course Schedule

See attached at the end

Attendance

Regular attendance and participation in classes is expected and considered essential for successful academic work. Attendance will be documented every class period for face-to-face courses. For online courses, weekly online assignments are due on [day(s) and time(s)] to confirm attendance. If you must miss any deadline, communication is essential.  If an unavoidable absence occurs, communicate as soon as possible.  Contact me in advance or as soon as possible for emergencies and take responsibility for the class work missed.

Remember that Heritage University Student Affairs is ready to help solve problems that interfere with attending class. Email them at studentaffairs@heritage.edu. However, if I do not hear from you, the Heritage University Catalog attendance policy states “a faculty member may recommend an administrative withdrawal [from a course] whenever a student misses two consecutive class sessions and does not contact the instructor.” Prior to any such action, I will submit a Faculty Advocacy request asking Student Affairs to contact you. Your success in this class is my primary goal, and I look forward to seeing you at every class session.

Reasonable Accommodation for Religious Holidays

Consistent with Heritage University’s mission and values and pursuant to RCW 28B.137.010  as amended, and Substitute Senate Bill 5166, HU allows student reasonable absences for reasons of faith or for organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization. The student requesting an excused absence for reasons of faith must submit the Request for Absence for Reasons of Faith Form to their instructor(s) at least two (2) weeks prior to the beginning of the semester in which the absence is anticipated to occur. The form is located on the Student Forms page under the Students tab in MyHeritage. Full policy and procedures are located in the current catalog under Academic Policies, Attendance.

Support and Resources

Tutoring at the Academic Skills Center

The Academic Skills Center (ASC) at Heritage University is committed to academic excellence and provides services that are accessible to all students. We strive to provide safe and welcoming spaces, both physical and virtual, where students can access study resources and tools to support their learning. Tutoring, both online and face-to-face, is provided for all major subjects including mathematics, science, writing, history, social science, and critical thinking.

The ASC is located in the Kathleen Ross Building. There, students can find a study space to work, study in small groups with tutor support, receive one-on-one tutoring, and use computers. These services are available by drop-in or appointment. In addition to working with HU tutors, the ASC also provides access to an additional service that connects students with professional tutors 24 hours a day/7days per week through a service called Smarthinking.

To view our schedule, make an appointment, drop-in for tutoring with an HU tutor, or to access Smarthinking visit the ASC page at https://myheritage.heritage.edu/ICS/Student_Services/Academic_Skills_Center/. To learn more about any of these services, call the ASC at (509) 865-8517 or email us ASC@heritage.edu.

Library

The Donald K. C, North Library provides students, staff, and faculty access to scholarly research resources. Students can access approximately 100 databases to search articles from scholarly/academic journals, magazines, newspapers, ebooks, and more. The Library is divided in into three zones. One for talk, another for quiet conversation, and the third for silent study.  Two study rooms are available for students to reserve. In addition, laptops and tablets, are also available to check-out. The librarians are here to assist you! http://libguides.heritage.edu/friendly.php?s=librarystart  The librarians can help you locate, select, evaluate, and cite appropriate sources for your research and assignments. For research and general assistance, feel free to stop by.  You may also contact a reference librarian by phone at (509) 865-8520, email (Library@heritage.edu), or online chat.  Students outside of the area may also schedule a video conference with a librarian. The Library is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Fridays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located in the Kathleen Ross, snjm Center. Hours may be adjusted around mid-term and final exam weeks. To access the online research databases from an off-campus location, you will be prompted to log-in with your MyHeritage account.

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Credit Hour Requirements

Federal regulations require that all courses follow the Heritage University definition of a credit hour as described in HU Policy.  For the current policy, see the catalog: http://catalog.heritage.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=867#credit_hour_semester_definitions 

Academic Honesty

Heritage University students have the responsibility to adhere to academic honesty in all their educational endeavors. Faculty has the responsibility to model academic honesty and to prevent, detect, and confront students who violate it. Academic dishonesty is serious and will carry appropriate sanctions ranging from a written record of the violation being placed in the student’s file, to course failure, and even to suspension or dismissal from the university. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and all behavior inconsistent with academic integrity and honesty.  See http://catalog.heritage.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=867#academic_honesty_policy  

Campus Security & Safety

In an emergency, call 911. If you need campus security assistance, please call 509-865-8555 or ext. 8555 from any campus landline or email: CampusSecurity@heritage.edu. For a list of Campus Security services and Crisis Response Steps, please go to this link: http://www.heritage.edu/safety-security/ or reference the posted Campus Safety Boards located in each building.

RAVE Alert: The University uses Rave Mobile Safety to provide an emergency alert and notification system capable of delivering messages to University staff, faculty, and students’ email addresses and cell phone numbers. These messages include campus emergencies, inclement weather, and closures as they pertain to the entire campus community. Register by logging into http://www.heritage.edu/safety-security/emergency-action-plan/rave-alert/.

Accommodations

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA Policy): The current law of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, states that “a disability can be a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual. The ADA law prohibits discrimination and ensures that individuals with disabilities have the same opportunities to participate in the mainstream of American life – to enjoy employment, education, to purchase goods, to participate in State and local government programs and services.” As an institution of higher education, Heritage University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

If you believe you have a disability which may warrant an accommodation, the first step is to contact the Office of Ability Services to schedule an appointment.

Contact Information:

Yovanna Cook, MSW. Mental & Social Health Counselor / ADA Specialist

Office: 509-865-8544, Cellphone: 760-208-8825

Fax: 509-865-8693

E-mail OfficeofAbilityServices@heritage.edu

Violet Lumley Rau Building, Office #1714

For more information about student ability services on campus, please click on the hyperlink below:

http://www.heritage.edu/Current-Students/Office-of-Ability-Services

Updated 8/14/2020