Course Descriptions
 

Applications of GIS/GPS

Students will create maps and study local South Dakota areas. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are important for a variety of fields, such as management, Lakota leadership, planning, environmental and applied research. This course is designed to provide dedicated students, instructors/tribal members or teachers with a hand-on understanding of current mapping technology. Course participants will learn how to obtain, understand, analyze, and present spatial data. Participants will gain project oriented knowledge to apply simple geospatial techniques for their own work or personal projects.

Introduction to GIS

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are essential to the solution of many types of management, planning, environmental and applied research problems. This online course is designed to provide dedicated students, instructors/tribal members or teachers with a basic understanding of current mapping technology. Course participants will learn how to independently understand, analyze, and present spatial data. Participants will gain knowledge to apply simple geospatial techniques for their own work. The core of the class will be an online ESRI certification for Basic ArcView9. ESRI is the leading maker of GIS software.

Remote Sensing

Viewing our Land from Space Satellite data and image classifications are an important part in many segments of today’s society. This challenging course rewards the student with an insight on current remote sensing systems, focusing in on the digital image processing techniques utilized to analyze data collected by these systems. Students will study classification methods of multispectral space and airborne data. This course summarizes the physical background of earth’s radiation interaction and later provides detailed step-by-step instructions for using satellites in earth resources applications. Lectures will review the specific airborne and spaceborne systems, while lab assignments will cover the digital manipulation and analysis techniques employed by today’s remote sensing experts.

Digital Photography for Everyone

Digital Photography is no longer in its infancy. It is cheaper than traditional film and offers more opportunities to the photographer. This workshop will focus on three aspects: the camera, photo techniques and digital photo editing. Students will learn about high quality, yet economical cameras, aesthetic picture taking and finally editing with free photo software. Workshop will include lectures, discussion, hands-on photography and hands-on editing.