Geospatial Education — The Emerging Fields of Studies
Geospatial education is one of the emerging fields of studies. It mainly includes Geographic Information System (GIS). It also consists of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS). This technology is used to get information about the earth’s geography, analyze data, it gives the idea of the non-renewable resources available on the earth and its importance reminding us to use them judicially. This technology is also used to make maps and models. The GIS has become one of the main facilities through which the geographical data is extracted and analyzed.
This technology plays a very important role in the study of climatic change, resource distribution, and conservation. The geospatial technology guides the people to analyze, process, and understand geographic information. This technology makes the students and researchers realize the state of the Earth’s environment, where amendments are needed to be done and provide then location-based data. With the visual portrayal of the patterns received, the students and researchers get to know about a particular action in a region that can affect the whole world in the present or future.
Geospatial technology as career
If you are seriously interested in the earth, planets, sun, moon, satellites, meteor, and stars then you should try to make it your future career. You should pursue a geospatial education. You should know about your interests. You need to keep practicing your geospatial skills even after you get a job.
GIS technology has also become quite famous in business and markets. GIS is very huge. It deals with different technologies, techniques, processes, and methods. In short, it can also be said that this facility of GIS is the foundation of various location-enabled services that have become a necessity in today’s world. The new GIS technology utilizes digital information. To manipulate the spatial data, the geoprocessing operation is done. The common geoprocessing operation consists of topology processing, raster processing, feature overlay, and data conversion. The GIS also uses the space-time location for obtaining information. It can be said that anything that can be located spatially and analyzed, can be considered as using GIS technology.
GIS Applications
As mentioned earlier, GIS uses digital technology to represent physical objects like elevation, trees, water bodies, roads, deserts, etc. Further, these physical objects can be divided into discrete objects and continuous fields. Discrete objects include factories and houses. Continuous fields include rainfall quantity, forests, elevation, etc.
GIS gives information for every type of location-based organization. Many organizations are benefitted by this GIS technology. Its usage has increased a lot nowadays which includes national defense, natural resources, landscape architecture, archaeology, real estate, and even crime mapping. The most important thing is the information received is precise. It has helped to develop and improving the security of the nation where the boundaries are difficult to supervise manually, for example; mountains.
Importance of GIS at the time of virus outbreak and natural calamities
The GIS technology is also used to check the virus outbreak and because of this the people who are under high risk can be identified and helped. The census data can also be obtained and information can be gained in different geographic units. Comparison of the population can be done by evaluating the census information. By the use of geospatial technology, the researchers can identify and analyze the area affected by drought, viruses, heavy rainfall, or any other pandemic.
There are certain tools to forecast the upcoming outbreaks of the virus. These are ProMed and HealthMap. Now, a question arises that how can an epidemic be predicted in advance. This is possible by predicting the underlying factor of the outbreak. Population density also plays a vital role in this prediction. However, the exact time of the outbreak cannot be figured out by this tool. But the medical precautions can be taken prior due to the warning. It is said that new research can also find the rate and livelihood of the virus mutation. In this way maximum humans can be saved from the infections caused by viruses and awareness can be spread among people.
Some Uncertainties
With so many advantages, the GIS has some uncertainties. Its accuracy depends on the accessible source data. Many times the desired accuracy cannot be achieved due to paper maps and some other difficulties. The accuracy issues arise due to the quantitative analysis of the map. Here comes the digital and electronic equipment that makes the analysis and measurement of GIS more accurate and precise than the traditional mapping analysis. Although, the high-resolution digital images, a powerful computer that provides good quality are the positive points.
Future of GIS
The study of geography can be said incomplete without the GIS. GIS has become the key component in special training. The future of GIS is going to be very positive. If the development of this field goes in the right direction, then it can help change the way the institutions and organizations use these technologies. It will increase the standard of living of humans.
