Identifying Important GIS Concepts in Interdisciplinary Research

Patrick Rickles

An Analysis of Google Scholar

GIS

Geographic Information Systems to Understand Space

Standardised, Formal Education

NCGIA Core Curriculum (1990)

GIS&T Body of Knowledge (2006)

Learning about GIS

G1. Analytical Methods

G2. Cartography and Visualization

G3. Design Aspects

G4. Conceptual Foundations

G5. Data Modeling

GIS&T Body of Knowledge

G6. Data Manipulation

G7. Geocomputation

G8. Geospatial Data

G9. GIS&T and Society

G10. Organizational and Institutional Aspects

GIS&T Body of Knowledge

GIS

EDU

Education Techniques for Learning New Technologies

GIS as a Tool: How are Others Using It?

GIS

IDR EDU

Interdisciplinary Researchcan be messy…

… but can produce amazing results.

C1. Collaborating with Other Disciplines

C2. The Interface Between Disciplines

C3. Personal Issues

C4. Licensing and Ownership

Interdisciplinary Challenges

C5. Time Constraints

C6. Lack of Management

C7. Institutional Intransigence

C8. Lack of Opportunities

Interdisciplinary Challenges

S1. Incentivise Research

S2. Establish an Institutional Structure

S3. Include Senior Staff and Interested Parties

S4. Discourage Disciplinary Selfishness

Interdisciplinary Solutions

S5. Build Relationships

S6. Management, Clear Objectives and Evaluation

S7. Provide Training

S8. Increase and Adapt Funding

Interdisciplinary Solutions

From Theory to Practice

Search for “Interdisciplinary” and “GIS” in the top journals of each category of Google Scholar

• “Collaborating with Other Disciplines” –Top Challenge (5 out of 10 articles)

• “Build Relationships” – Top Suggested Solution (9 out of 10 articles)

– “Provide Training” second (6 out of 10 articles)

• “Geospatial Data” most utilised Knowledge Area (9 out of 10 articles)

Findings

GIS

IDR EDU

GIS+

IDR + EDU

Collaboratively Learning GIS

GIS

IDR EDU

GIS+

IDR + EDU

?

Future Work

Online vs. Face-to-Face

Rerun for Robustness