AN INTEGRATED GIS—GPS—FIELD COMPTUTER ASSIGNMENT FOR INTRODUCTORY PALEONTOLOGY: INTRODUCING SKILLS IN FIELD DATA MANAGEMENT AND PRESENTATION

The use of field computers, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, and geographic information systems (GIS) software in Geology has become increasingly important. However, many departments do not offer GIS courses or integrate field computers in the curriculum. This is due to redundancy as GIS courses are often taught in Geography departments and field computers are costly and the value in education has been poorly argued.

This presentation will demonstrate an assignment integrating field computers, GPS, and GIS, in an Introductory Paleontology course. The goals of this exercise are to 1) introduce the fundamentals of GPS technology, 2) gain experience predicting GPS accuracy and precision, 3) use computers in the field as a means of collecting and processing data in real-time, 4) expose students to the usefulness of GIS, and 5) learn how to present data using Google Earth as well as GIS format.

Prior to field work, the class learns how to plot the dilution of precision (DOP) or ‘accuracy' of the GPS satellites in the field area, predicting the best time to collect data. The students also configure the data collection software to fit the project goals, deciding on appropriate attributes to measure. In the field, each team of students has a GPS receiver and field computer for collecting data. Once they return from the field, the students enter the data into MapWindow, a free GIS program. Different patterns of presentation are explored based on the attributes collected. The students output these different presentations into Google Earth for ease of viewing and sharing.

While designed for a paleontology course, this exercise is easily modified to work in any class that collects field data and wishes to investigate different aspects of the data. Each attribute can be used to group the data and drive the presentation. If field computers are not available, data can be collected in field books and transferred to computers in the classroom. This assignment can also be modified by using data sets instead of field collection, if the focus is on the GIS—Google Earth aspect. All of the software used in this exercise (DOP calculator, GIS program, Google Earth) is freeware downloadable from the internet.