Welcome to Spatial Database Development in Practice

Spatial database development, a key component of GIS project management, focuses on the organization of location-based data. Participants will learn database development best practices, data collection and standardization, and how to apply topological rules to a database. Throughout the course, students will work on final database projects which will build skills required in professional GIS positions, with an emphasis on collaboration and real-world applications of data.

It is recommended that students are required to have introductory knowledge of GIS and spatial data handling.

Materials

• Syllabus
• Software

Units

• What is a database?
• Database normalization - 1NF & 2NF
• Database normalization - 3NF & 4NF

Labs

• Practice with software
• Practice with normalization
• Normalizing spatial data

Learning Objectives

Student evaluation during this course will depend on understanding and applying fundamental spatial database development and interaction through assignments and class exercises. For a more comprehensive understanding of the course schedule and what is expected of students, please consult the Syllabus.

By the end of the course, students will:

• Understand the foundational knowledge behind databases, specifically geodatabases;

• Interact with spatial data using different relationships across databases with SQL;

• Learn standard database management protocols, including data collection, normalization, and version control via Git.

Student Responsibilities

Each student is responsible for the following:

• Completely reading the Syllabus and understanding course requirements;

• Staying informed and up-to-date on all course-related work each and every week;

• Reading announcements and participating in Slack;

• Posting and answering questions about the course and assignments to Slack for the benefit of other students;

• Connecting with the instructor via GitHub for assignment tracking.