This is a 5-week online course being offered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development at Colorado State University.
Course runs September 12-October 17, 2008. The deadline to register is September 9, 2008.
Mapping can be a powerful tool for communities to better manage and protect natural and cultural resources. However there are numerous technical, social, and ethical considerations that communities, NGOs, and funding agencies should consider prior to engaging any mapping efforts. This course will be valuable for both novices and mapping professionals.
This course will explore theories, ethics, applications, and methods of community-based mapping and its role in participatory learning and action as well as larger processes of integrated community-based development. This course, while drawing on many of the recent case studies, academic writings, and reports from the field, will be highly interactive and will emphasize the sharing of experiences, ideas, and insights from course participants. *Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:*
- Understand the basic principles, theories, and ethics of Community-based mapping and its role in Community-based development
- Identify which mapping methods and tools are most appropriate to achieve the desired objectives in your community
- Understand some of the various political, cultural, and social organizational factors in Community-based mapping projects
- Collect and map geographic information through local knowledge and participation of community members
- Locate and utilize existing geographic information data sets, online and elsewhere, for specific project areas
- Understand the basic features and operation of Geographic Position Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their applications in Community-based mapping
For more information:
http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/IISD/courses/Mapping.html