Content

• Principles of geospatial data modelling: Entity-Relationship modelling and Visual Modelling by means of the Unified Modelling Language
• Relational and Object-Relational database design and management 
• Introduction to the Structured Query Language

Course material

Presentations supported by reference book Geographic Information Science & Systems (Longley et al., 2015) and by various URLs.

Format: more information

Interactive lectures

Content

• Tutorial of the PostgreSQL/PostGIS-software
• Assignments

Course material

• Presentations and background documents
• Tutorial with solutions
• Assignments

Format: more information

Tutorial, exercises and assignments are offered through Toledo and elaborated at home. This is possible since the PostgreSQL/PostGIS-software belongs to the family of Free and Open Source Softwares. The contact sessions are meant to obtain feedback and advice.

Content

1. From GIS to SDI with examples from INSPIRE and OpenStreetMap

2. Geospatial data repositories as an extenstion of object-relational databases

3. SDI Data & metadata: data and metadata formats including cloud-optimized formats, role of metadata, mark-up languages

4. SDI services, standards and API's

5. Interactive mapping

6. Organizational considerations regarding SDI

Course material

Presentations, a selection of scientific articles and reports and various URLs provided through Toledo. Reference is also made to the book Longley et al., 2015. Geographic Information Science & Systems.

Format: more information

The lectures are interactive, meaning that the lecturer takes the lead but students are encouraged to internalize the transferred knowledge through question/answer-subsessions, group discussions, interaction with SDI, small computer exercises, …

Content

Exercises and assignments dealing with several (but not necessarily all) of these topics:

•Design, creation and management of object-relational geospatial data respositories;

•The interpretation and production of UML class diagrams for a number of geodata themes; Conversion of UML class diagrams into object-relational databases; Accessibility and interoperability of geodata for a particular project;

•The discovery and exploration of geodatasets by means of metadata and web services; Production and publication of metadata; Documenting the quality of data;

•The Geography MarkUp Language (GML) as a standard format for exchange of geodatasets;

•The setup of web map and web feature services ; 

•The connection to and exploitation of a Sensor Observation Service and of a Real Time Kinematic Positioning Service;

•The CityGML data model;

•The organizational structure of the Flemish (GDI) and the European SDI (INSPIRE).

Course material

Various (online) course materials and software packages with tutorials and dedicated exercise descriptions, various URLs

Use is made of free and open source software or of trial version software:

• Quantum GIS as generic GIS-software;
• PostgreSQL + PostGIS as Object-relational database management software;
• OpenGeoSuite (GeoServer, Open layers, ...) for geospatial web services;
• FME.

Format: more information

Exercises are integrated and assignments introduced in the lecture sessions. Students complete exercises and assignments individually or in group. Tutorials, exercises and assignments are offered through Toledo and elaborated at home. This is possible since the software used belongs to the family of Free and Open Source Softwares. There is sufficient possibility for obtaining feedback and advice through multiple contact sessions and by email.