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What is Spatial Science |
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What is GIS |
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Why is GIS relevant to students? |
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The SLA Spatial Challenge 2010 is here!
The SLA Spatial Challenge is an initiative of the Singapore Land Authority aimed at encouraging the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in Schools. Supported by the Ministry of Education, the Challenge is organised for Pre-University students to increase the awareness of GIS in students, and encourage innovative use of GIS in Singapore.
The Spatial Challenge 2009 received overwhelming response from the schools. A total of 12 schools, 17 teams and about 100 students & teachers participated in the GIS competition.
Based on the successes of the 2008 and 2009 Spatial Challenge, the 2010 Spatial Challenge will be enlarged to include a new category for Polytechnic and University participants. This year, the Challenge will be held over a period from January 2010 to July 2010.
The emphasis of the Challenge will be placed on Creativity, Use of GIS, Analysis and Presentation of Results. Participants will conduct simple data collection, and use the information they gather to conduct simple analysis on the topics they have chosen to explore. Students are encouraged to use the many functions available in GIS in innovative, challenging and fun ways to assist in solving or exploring issues which affect their communities. All participating teams will have their work displayed in a presentation poster exhibition on the finals of the competition.
- The Spatial Challenge aims to expose pre-university and tertiary (Polytechnics & University) students to Geographical Information Systems and allow them to apply GIS on real life issues.
- The Challenge hopes to engage the students in thinking, reasoning and analyzing information through GIS and to seek, process and apply knowledge inculcated in their curriculum on real life issues.
- The Challenge aims to expose the students to the latest innovation in geography through GIS so as to show the students a potential career in geography.
Spatial science incorporates fields such as geography, surveying, geographic information systems, remote sensing, hydrography, mapping and cartography to measure, management, analyse and display of spatial information describing the Earth, its physical features and its environment.
Geographic Information System is a collection of hardware (e.g. satellites, computers, and GPS), software, and geographic information (e.g. maps, satellite images). It is used to collect, store and analyze spatially referenced data, or data that refers to or is linked to a location.
GIS combines information to give the user a better understanding of a location. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries (user created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data, maps, and present the results of all these operations.
The uses of GIS can vary from academic to practical applications for daily use. Some examples of the use of GIS are the monitoring of forest fires in Indonesia; determining which swamp is susceptible to pollution; routing of emergency services such as ambulances and fire engines; selection of business location by businesses; monitoring and planning land use by the government and online street directories. GIS has many other practical and educational applications that have not been fully utilised in Singapore.
http://www.esrisa.com.my/aboutgis.html
http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html
http://www.esri.com/industries/k-12/index.html
Why is GIS relevant to students?
- GIS has emerged as a branch of geography that is rapidly advancing in use and importance in the world.
- It helps students to visualise abstract geographic concepts in real life situations on a map interface.
- It is a useful research and learning tool for students.
- GIS is a tool to better use and understand geographical information.
- It is an important introduction to the future possibilities that Spatial Science offers.