Access the course material on GitHub: https://github.com/jakobzhao/geog328
- Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00 - 2:20 PM LOW 205
- Labs: Friday 12:30 - 1:20 PM (AA) and 1:30 - 2:20 PM (AB) in SMI 401
Instructional Team:
- Bo Zhao, Instructor, zhaobo@uw.edu | Office Hour: Thursdays 2:45 to 4:45 PM, making a appointment here
- Liz Peng, Teaching Assistant, lp36@uw.edu | Office Hour: Wednesdays 1:00 to 3:00 PM, SMI 430
Web-based Geographic Information Systems (Web GIS), which combines web, mobile technology, and GIS, is a rapidly growing and promising area in both academia and industry. It has expanded the capabilities of GIS from local servers to the cloud, making online maps and geospatial intelligence more accessible to various fields such as geography, built environment, transportation, forestry, and oceanography. The integration of the web and GIS has led to numerous technological advancements, including smart cities, location-based services, autonomous driving, and pandemic dashboards. This course is designed to equip students with the necessary skills for managing web GIS projects, utilizing the latest geospatial cloud technologies for building modern web GIS applications, and providing real-world case studies for inspiration.
As ChatGPT continues to gain widespread usage in academia and society, this course will explore the potential of utilizing it for assisting Web GIS development. For example, Its natural language interface can simplify development by enhancing productivity and reducing the learning curve. ChatGPT's error analysis and suggestion capabilities can save time and effort in debugging, while its data analysis capabilities can provide insights into patterns and trends. It can also produce GeoJson data for story maps, making web GIS applications more immersive and engaging for users. ChatGPT's user recommendation feature can provide personalized suggestions, enhancing the user experience and accessibility of web GIS applications.
In order to ensure equal access to web mapping technology, we have made sure that all of the Web GIS applications included in the course materials can be executed, debugged, or further developed on both Windows and Mac OSX operating systems. Additionally, all of the required software and packages are either open-source or free to use. The course is divided into two major components: lectures and lab exercises. During the lectures, students will learn about the theories and principles that underlie Web GIS, such as web architecture, front-end coding, responsive design, and web-based spatial analyses. In the labs, students will have the opportunity to put these theories into practice and develop their skills in web programming and web GIS development.
Course Objectives
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Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of web systematic architecture, GIS project management, geospatial data client, server, and web-based spatial analyses.
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Develop the necessary skills to build web-based GIS applications using either open-source or proprietary geospatial web frameworks.
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Demonstrate competence in managing web GIS projects by gaining hands-on experience in web server management (e.g., Apache 2 server, tomcat, etc.), coding with the latest web technologies (e.g., html, css, JavaScript), becoming familiar with web-based geospatial cloud technologies (e.g., MapBox, Leaflet, OpenStreetMap, etc.), and conducting spatial analysis on the web.
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Evaluate the user experience of a real-world web GIS application and reflect on its social implications, such as geo-privacy and geospatial data authenticity.
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Use ChatGPT to assist the design and development of WebGIS applications.