Comprehensive Look at the Geoweb (Part 3 and 4)

The the story continues... I have been off and on the buzzword "Geoweb" for several years. I am now back on it so I set out to try and take a real look at the Geoweb, at least for the sake of academics. The term is bantered about a bunch and we all have our own take on what it really is. My goal was to try to comprehensively define the geoweb based on well documented patterns, models and architectures that currently exist within the web (part 1 and part 2 of this 4 part series) as well as from a purely organic perspective. Here are the slides that were used for this discussion. I can post my lectures as well if anyone is interested.

Comprehensive Overview of the Geoweb

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In summary, I came up with what I think is a very nice analogy in an attempt to somehow concisely define the Geoweb. I use the analog of an ecosystem defined as:

“An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all of the physical (abiotic) factors of the environment. Ecosystems can be permanent or temporary. An ecosystem is a unit of interdependent organisms which share the same habitat. Ecosystems usually form a number of food webs…” (Ecosystem, 2009)

Using this, we can begin to crosswalk components of the geoweb to the notion of an ecosystem. The geoweb as a unit of something finite, is composed of biotic and abiotic factions. Biotic factors including users, participants, perceptions (top-down vs. bottom-up), change and usability. Abiotic factors such as architectures, standards, formats, specs, platforms, etc... There are a number of relationships that exist between these factors, each with their own microprocesses but all interdependent in varying ways. Finally, portions of the the geoweb are permanent and some are temporary, depending on all of the factors (and their associated relationships) listed above.

If nothing else, have a look at the references cited section at the end of the slides. It includes alot of great materials from many leaders in the community that are worthwhile having a look at.

Ecosystem. (2009, August 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:10, August 26, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ecosystem&oldid=310197121

Web 2.0 and the Geoweb Part 1: Web 2.0 Examples

As I have mentioned earlier, I am ramping up for the upcoming semester and am feverishly prepping. My course, "Introduction To the Geoweb" is part of the Master of Engineering/GIS offered at the University of Colorado at Denver.

In the coming weeks, I intend to share materials I will be presenting to my students to all of you in hopes of getting some constructive feedback from the experts--YOU! I won't be sharing everything, just some selected materials that I think can benefit from some "participatory lecture development" if there is such a thing. I will also be citing much of the work that many of you have contributed so your feedback is critical.

The collection of materials I intend to share is tentatively termed "Web2.0 and the Geoweb." My hope during this series of lectures is to expose students to well documented Web 2.0 patterns and examples as a foundation for further exploration of the Geoweb. Some have suggested that a detailed look at web architectures and http are warranted before this discussion. Rest assured, the students will be prepared for these more advanced concepts.

The primary source of my research related to Web 2.0 patterns and examples comes from Web 2.o Architectures by James Governor and others. It is a good piece, articulating web2.0 patterns in a formal way and has worked nicely for foundational discovery. I have also incorporated materials from several additional sources that have proven adequate.

The story I hope to weave reads something like this: the Geoweb (which I think I can fully embrace) has roots, much of which can be described using well document Web 2.0 patterns. These patterns are best described using real world examples which can then be articulated formally using a standard method of description. This framework then serves as the foundation for further discussions mapping these patterns and subsequent reference models and architectures to Geoweb concepts, some of which have been stewing for some time and others which have emerged recently.

With that said, part 1 of 4 (or maybe 5) slides follow. These are subject to change which goes without saying. Be aware that these are lecture slides so there is a fair amount of text. Students get a little "bent without bullets."

I will be posting my recorded lectures as well. Continue to Part 2: Web 2.0 Patterns.

Web 2.0 and the Geoweb Part 1: Web 2.0 Examples

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Back On The Geoweb Bandwagon

I am officially on the Geoweb bandwagon! I think this is the third time I have declared this in recent years, admittedly a bit premature in my previous attempts but I'm all in this time. The Geoweb has finally come of age. To give you some context, I have been a part-time instructor for several years now, teaching a number of GIS courses in the Master of Engineering Program (GIS) at the University of Colorado @ Denver. My favorite course over the years has been my web GIS course. While the most challenging given the ever changing landscape in this area, it is where my interest lies. The problem has been, what the heck do I call this course.

I have been following the Geoweb09 activities this year remotely and have had the opportunity to attend a couple of times, even dating back to its previous form, GML days. The term "Geoweb" and its numerous incarnations (Geospatial Web) have been bantered about for a few years, mostly in the context of this gathering. A couple of years ago, I actually called my course "Introduction to the Geoweb" but struggled with the label given the immaturity of the platform. Web2.0 stuff was just kicking in and my perception until recently was that the Geoweb was nothing more than some neogeos throwing up markers on a Google Map with little or no appreciation, knowledge, etc. of traditional (and very important) GIS concepts such as spatial relationships (topologies), projections, spatial analysis, etc. In addition, given my old-school roots in GIS, not having "GIS" in the course title was like having a marg without Grand Marnier--it worked and it was still decent but just wasn't right. Needless to say, I backtracked. So over the next couple of years, my labels for the course included "Introduction to Distributed GIS" and "Introduction to Internet GIS."

Those days are over now. The course is now officially recalled "Introduction to The Geoweb." This corny personal journey mimics that maturation process of the Geoweb itself. We all knew it was there and wanted to embrace it, but a few chips had to fall before we could really do so. The Geoweb is now walking. In fact, it is more like a toddler who can really move but who is a bit unpredictable.

I have been researching a number of great materials related to the Geoweb, much of which has been coming out of the Geoweb conference, and other materials which have been around for awhile. Based on these sources, I hope to develop a comprehensive look at the Geoweb that I will be sharing this semester with my students. I also plan to post these materials for some "crowd sourced lecture development" (if there is such a thing) as well so stay tuned.

Basic Networking

The following slides are part 2/unit 1 of the Introduction To Geospatial Web Technologies course I teach @ University of Colorado @ Denver, Master's of Engineering in GIS Program.

History of Internet Mapping

The following slides are part one of unit 1 of the Introduction To Geospatial Web Technologies course I teach @ University of Colorado @ Denver, Master's of Engineering in GIS Program.

Masters Degree in GIS -- MEng-GIS

As adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado @ Denver, I would like to give a plug for our Master's of Engineering in GIS program. This program is one of a kind and provides extensive flexibility for working professionals and those seeking distance learning. All courses are offered inclass and online! I have been a part-time instructor for several years now and have taught Introduction to GIS as well Introduction to Geospatial Web Technologies. My current focus is the later. Have a look at the course overview/syllabus. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing selected portions of the course curriculum and would entertain any feedback. You can use anything that you wish as long as you cite these materials appropriately.