First Advisor

David Banis

Date of Award

1-2-2023

Document Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Geographic Information Science

Department

Geography

Language

English

Abstract

Geographic information systems (GIS) provide tools for industry, government, and the public to describe, visualize and organize space both conceptually and materially. Because the technology is complicated and potentially expensive, it is often out of the reach of those communities that might most benefit from its use, even as it’s routinely wielded by business interests, bureaucrats, and representative bodies to identify and legitimize administrative boundaries, potential areas for growth and profit, spatially oriented legislation (restricted areas, zoning), and so forth. Communities whose members know how to use a GIS gain potential advantages in deploying narratives that contest official plans for shaping space and resource flows, which often reflect the ambitions of private companies working from a profit motive with passing regard for folks’ local priorities or knowledge. In part to bolster community access to GIS, in 2020 the GIS-Mapping Exchange was established at Portland State University with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as a means to partner GIS practitioners with public libraries in order to equip staff and patrons with training and access to the technology. This report documents the process of building and conducting a community GIS workshop designed for patrons of the public library in Scappoose, Oregon, a small town roughly 20 miles north of Portland. Challenges and strategies for effective instruction in GIS and outreach to the general public are considered, as well as solutions for delivering such a workshop both in the library environment and via asynchronous channels.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

A GIS practicum report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science In Geographic Information Science.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41700

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