Improving fieldwork with GIS quantitative exploration, data management and digital mapping

Wouter Marra1, Koko Alberti1, Liesbeth van de Grint2 & Derek Karssenberg1

1 Dep. Physical Geography2 Centre for education and learning

Faculty of Geosciences

Funders: Stimuleringsfonds Onderwijs, Utrecht University and Faculty of Geosciences

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Introduction

• Fieldwork is essential for Geosciences• GIS is valuable tool for spatial analysis and mapping

Goals• Blend classic fieldwork with quantitative GIS methods• Easy-to-use GIS methods during fieldwork• No prior GIS experience and not about teaching GIS

Pilot – Evaluation – Improvements / tips

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Fieldwork French Alps

• First-year BSc, final quarter• Individual research areas (~16 km²)• Geology and geomorphology• Staff visits students occasionally

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Fieldwork French Alps

• First-year BSc, final quarter• Individual research areas (~16 km²)• Geology and geomorphology• Staff visits students occasionally

Learning goals – changed workflow

Learning goal Change Benefit

Preparation

Explore area remotely GoogleEarth & QGIS More ways to view area

Formulate hypothesis Use GIS data Quantitative evidence

Fieldwork

Collect field data Unchanged Freedom and creativity in fieldbook

Analyse Excel & QGIS Spatial patterns, make map

Interpret QGIS Sat. image and DEM - extra data

Map QGIS Use data sources, logical workflow

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Preparation

Learning goals – changed workflow

Learning goal Change Benefit

Preparation

Explore area remotely GoogleEarth & QGIS More ways to view area

Formulate hypothesis Use GIS data Quantitative evidence

Fieldwork

Collect field data Unchanged Freedom and creativity in fieldbook

Analyse Excel & QGIS Spatial patterns, make map

Interpret QGIS Sat. image and DEM - extra data

Map QGIS Use data sources, logical workflow

Paper maps Fieldbook

Fieldmap

Digital fieldbook (excel)

+

+++

Neat map+

+++

Digital map QGIS

Field Accommodation

ObservationsGPS

GIS DataMapping workflow

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Evaluations

• All students had new preparation (70)• 23 students used GIS in the field

• Questionnaires before and after fieldwork• Interview after fieldwork

• Difference between groups?• Easier acquainted, useful hypotheses? • Problems / drawbacks• Attitude towards GIS

• Staff opinions

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Preparation

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Student evaluation results after the fieldwork

Quantitative difference GIS and non-GIS users was hard to tell

+ Students enthusiastic about making maps with QGIS+ Students see GIS as a relevant skill (also some that don’t like it)

• Motivation

- Some technical issues• Fixed data structure, prescribed legend, • Technical tutorial, and screencasts

- Students complain that hypotheses are superseded • Is that a problem or a valuable lesson?

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Staff evaluation

+ Results above expectation

- Same technical issues as students- A few have doubts in their ability to help students with QGIS

• Screencasts for students – no supervisor required

Lots of discussions on type of legend: drawn symbols vs. polygons

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Summary / lessons learned

• Hybrid approach – paper and GIS – was a success• QGIS – useful in the field and for students without prior experience

• Technical instructions are required (screencasts)• GIS was supporting the fieldwork not the focus

w.a.marra@uu.nl – fieldwork.geo.uu.nl

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fwo.geo.uu.nl (EGU2016 – Vienna2016)web-gis to supervise students on fieldwork

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gems.geo.uu.nl (demo – demo)online spatial modelling toolsee PICO by Baarsma et al.,ESSI3.5/GI1.5, friday at 15:30

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ArcGIS onlineGIS withouth thousands of buttons