13
Chapter Wrapup
What’s All This Have to do with Geography?
The first sentence for the entry “geography” in The Dictionary of Human Geography describes geography as “the study of the Earth’s surface as the space
within which the human population lives.” To simplify a definition further into
words of one syllable, geography is not just “where things are” but the study of
“why things are where they are.” Geography deals with concepts of the spatial
characteristics of our planet and the spatial relationships and interactions of
the people and features that populate it. The notion of “Geographic Information Science” has been acclaimed for years as the study of the multiple concepts that surround the handling of spatial data, and today the use of geospatial technologies is tightly interwoven with the discipline of geography.
At the higher education level, courses in GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and
various applications of these technologies are key components of a Geography curriculum. Certificate programs in Geographic Information Science
(GISci) or Geospatial Technologies are also becoming increasingly common
to be offered by colleges and universities. Geospatial degree programs at the
bachelors, masters, or doctoral level have been developed at numerous universities (see Chapter 15 for more information about geospatial technology in
education). Even in the basic usages of collecting data in the field for a class
project or producing a map of results, geospatial technologies have become an
integral part of the geography discipline.
In a 2004 article, Jack Dangermond, CEO of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri; see Chapter 5), heralded GIS as a way of
“Speaking the Language of Geography” and in a 2009 article noted that GIS
was seen as “Geography in Action.” Both of these are great descriptions—for
example, when you use an in-vehicle navigation system to navigate your way
through unfamiliar territory or use an online tool to examine housing values
for your neighborhood, you’re using basic geographic concepts of space and
place through technology. Geospatial technology gives us the tools to more
easily apply location-based principles to real-world situations. For example,
how is the new freeway bypass going to affect the local community regarding
traffic flows, new commercial development, and individual properties? Or
what are the potential impacts of the site chosen for a new casino development in relation to the land use, economic and social effects, and the draw of
gamers from far outside the local area? Throughout this book, you’ll be dealing with geospatial technology concepts and applications, and using some
sort of geospatial data, or measuring spatial characteristics, or examining
spatial relations.
Chapter Wrapup
So what are you waiting for? Move on to this chapter’s lab (see Geospatial Lab
Application: Introduction to Geospatial Concepts and Google Earth) and start
getting to work. This chapter’s lab will have you doing all sorts of things with
Chapter Wrapup
What’s All This Have to do with Geography?
The first sentence for the entry “geography” in The Dictionary of Human Geography describes geography as “the study of the Earth’s surface as the space
within which the human population lives.” To simplify a definition further into
words of one syllable, geography is not just “where things are” but the study of
“why things are where they are.” Geography deals with concepts of the spatial
characteristics of our planet and the spatial relationships and interactions of
the people and features that populate it. The notion of “Geographic Information Science” has been acclaimed for years as the study of the multiple concepts that surround the handling of spatial data, and today the use of geospatial technologies is tightly interwoven with the discipline of geography.
At the higher education level, courses in GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and
various applications of these technologies are key components of a Geography curriculum. Certificate programs in Geographic Information Science
(GISci) or Geospatial Technologies are also becoming increasingly common
to be offered by colleges and universities. Geospatial degree programs at the
bachelors, masters, or doctoral level have been developed at numerous universities (see Chapter 15 for more information about geospatial technology in
education). Even in the basic usages of collecting data in the field for a class
project or producing a map of results, geospatial technologies have become an
integral part of the geography discipline.
In a 2004 article, Jack Dangermond, CEO of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri; see Chapter 5), heralded GIS as a way of
“Speaking the Language of Geography” and in a 2009 article noted that GIS
was seen as “Geography in Action.” Both of these are great descriptions—for
example, when you use an in-vehicle navigation system to navigate your way
through unfamiliar territory or use an online tool to examine housing values
for your neighborhood, you’re using basic geographic concepts of space and
place through technology. Geospatial technology gives us the tools to more
easily apply location-based principles to real-world situations. For example,
how is the new freeway bypass going to affect the local community regarding
traffic flows, new commercial development, and individual properties? Or
what are the potential impacts of the site chosen for a new casino development in relation to the land use, economic and social effects, and the draw of
gamers from far outside the local area? Throughout this book, you’ll be dealing with geospatial technology concepts and applications, and using some
sort of geospatial data, or measuring spatial characteristics, or examining
spatial relations.
Chapter Wrapup
So what are you waiting for? Move on to this chapter’s lab (see Geospatial Lab
Application: Introduction to Geospatial Concepts and Google Earth) and start
getting to work. This chapter’s lab will have you doing all sorts of things with