ERIC ED457943: Geographic Information System (GIS) Applications at a Multi-Site Community College.

17 Pages·2001·0.45 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
JC 010 702
ED 457 943
Pottle, Laura
AUTHOR
Geographic Information System (GIS) Applications at a
TITLE
Multi-Site Community College.
Front Range Community Coll., Westminster, CO.
INSTITUTION
2001-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
14p.
Descriptive (141)
Reports
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Community Colleges; Educational Assessment; *Environmental
DESCRIPTORS
Research; *Geographic Location; *Institutional
Characteristics; *School Community Relationship; School
Location; *Site Analysis; Student Characteristics; Two Year
Colleges
*Front Range Community College CO
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This report presents the FrOnt Range Community College
(Colorado) Office of Institutional Research's recent expansion of its
(FRCC)
data analysis and reporting capabilities to include a geographic information
system (GIS). Utilizing ArcView GIS software, the college is better able to
visualize institutional and environmental data. They have created a mapping
database of their state and service area to which institutional and
environmental scanning information can be added. The resulting maps
geographically display select data. In addition to creating a unique visual
representation, GIS allows for spatial data analysis that would not be
possible otherwise. This increases the ability to distinguish trends or
patterns that may go unnoticed when data are presented in traditional tables
or graphs only. The report includes a presentation of how FRCC utilized GIS
(1) where do FRCC students live? (2) how
to answer the following questions:
would moving a site affect students? (3) is the Multimedia Technology program
attracting students from outside the designated service area? And (4) where
is Colorado's biotechnology industry located? Ideas for future applications
include marketing and program evaluation. Report includes eight GIS generated
displays.
(KP)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Geographic Information System (GIS) Applications
at a
Multi-Site Community College
JC# 010702
Authorizer: Laura Pottle
EDUCATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
and Improvement
Office of Educational Research
INFORMATION
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
AND
DISSEMINATE THIS
CENTER (ERIC)
MATERIAL HAS
reproduced as
BEEN GRANTED BY
licrhis document has been
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eceived from the person or
originating it.
made to
CI Minor changes have been
improve reproduction quality.
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Points of view or opinions
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represent
RESOURCES
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INFORMATION CENTER
official OERI position or policy.
(ERIC)
1
2
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) APPLICATIONS AT A MULTI-
SITE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Author: Laura Pottle, Research Analyst, Front Range Community College, Westminster,
CO 80538
Abstract: As part of our efforts to support institutional decision-making at Front Range
Community College, the Office of Institutional Research recently expanded it's
data analysis and reporting capabilities to include a geographic information
Utilizing Arc View GIS software, we are now able to better
system (GIS).
We have created a mapping
visualize institutional and environmental data.
database of our state and service area to which institutional and environmental
scanning information can be added. The resulting maps geographically display
select data. In addition to creating a unique visual representation, GIS allows for
In this way, we are
spatial data analysis that would not be possible otherwise.
able to distinguish trends or patterns that may go unnoticed when data are
presented in traditional tables or graphs only. For this reason, we will continue to
utilize GIS as a compliment to traditional data analysis when appropriate. The
current presentation highlights a few of the applications for which we have
utilized GIS, displays the final products, and offers ideas for future applications.
Note: The current document is an adaptation of an Association for Institutional Research
Annual Forum 2001 presentation. A copy of the actual presentation may be obtained by
e-mail at [email protected]
The use of geographic information system (GIS) technology is especially
important to Front Range Community College (FRCC) because we are a multi-site
institution with a large, multi-county service area. As a result, we have a great need to
geographically understand our institution, our students, and the communities we serve. A
geographic information system allows institutional (student) and environmental
(community) information to be represented geospatially. In this way, trends or patterns
emerge that may have gone unnoticed if the same data were presented in traditional tables
or graphs only. For example, by utilizing GIS we can better visualize where our students
reside in relation to each other and to each of our campus sites. To obtain the same
information through zip code or census block frequency counts and cross referencing
enrollment data would not be as user friendly and would not allow relational trends to
show as clearly. I believe the pilot projects presented later will more clearly illustrate this
important point.
There are a variety of GIS softwares on the market. The industry standard for
basic to intermediate users is ArcView, an ESRI product. We currently run ArcView 3.2.
If your institution has a site license through the geography or geology department, an
extension is about $200. If you purchase the software, the price increases to about $1000.
In addition, as with any new processes or products, personnel time (and time is money)
must also be committed. The majority of personnel time will be spent on initial data
(S-
o
transformation and input into the system.
3
GIS data are used for two highly interrelated purposes; mapping templates and
geospatial analysis. Mapping templates are those base maps which we created with the
intention of reusing for a variety of analyses. For example, we have mapping templates
of our state, our entire service area, and each individual county within our service area.
Each template is created in layers, which ArcView terms themes. The layers we included
are as follows: state boundaries, county boundaries, cities, FRCC locations, streets and
highways, and in the near future we hope to add public transportation lines. It is
important to note that some of these data files, especially streets, are quite large. An
adequate operating system is essential. Software minimum specifications are for 24
megabites RAM (32MB is highly recommended).
The second use for data in GIS is spatial analysis. In higher education
institutional research, there are a variety of data sets of interest that our individual
institutions or governing boards can provide, such as student data and course/program
data. Environmental scanning data such as industry location, census counts and
projections, and marketing information are also of interest and may be downloaded as
public information or purchased through private organizations.
The first step in spatial analysis is to geospatially reference each data record. For
example, each student residence must be located on the reference map template. In this
way, each student will show as a data point at his/her address of record. This is
completed through a process called geocoding. ArcView matches each address to the
reference map template data utilizing preprogrammed settings, which provide parameters
for ensuring accuracy. For example, we may set a spelling accuracy parameter of 90%.
This means that only student addresses that match the map database with 90% accuracy
or greater will be geocoded. The geocoding process may be done in batch or interactive
mode. Batch means that the entire database can be matched at once. Then any
unmatched records can be looked at interactively to check for anomalies and then
matched one at a time.
Due to the size of our databases, ArcView only allows for the aggregate analysis
of summary table information. For this reason, I use ArcView to select students for
analysis and then I prefer to complete aggregate analyses in SPSS. For example, after
geocoding our student database, I may select students that reside more than 10 miles from
the campus they attend and then conduct statistical analysis on those students in SPSS.
However, GIS allows for individual level analysis that SPSS does not. For example, if I
see a particular student resides very far outside our service area, I may want to see who
that student is. With ArcView I just point my mouse on the geocoded data point and
click. The entire student record comes up on the screen. So, spatial analysis is possible
at the individual as well as the aggregate level.
Once the mapping template is made and the spatial analysis is completed, it's time
to create the final product. ArcView calls this product a layout. Each layout can include
a variety of components. I include the map with geocoded data points, a legend, a scale,
tables, charts, and any text explanation that is necessary. Completed layouts can only be
viewed in ArcView so when I am finished with one, I save it as a .jpg file. In this way,
It does lose a little of the detail in the translation, as you will
most people can view it.
see. However, if layouts are printed on a laser printer, the detail is wonderful. Either
way, the layout is user friendly and provides valuable information in a very visual
manner.
4
The response to our GIS capabilities has been overwhelming. In the first year, we
received more requests than we could process. Following are the four pilot GIS projects
we completed in our office to introduce our college to our new capabilities. We chose to
complete four pilot projects that answer four very different questions to demonstrate the
variety of issues that GIS could help address at our institution.
The pilot projects answered the following questions:
#1 Where do FRCC students live?
#2 How would moving one of our sites effect our students?
Is our Multimedia Technology program attracting students from outside our
#3
designated service area?
#4 Where is Colorado's biotechnology industry located?
5
This first pilot project layout describes our Fall 2000 student population. Each
student is represented by a data point at their address of record, which is color coded to
identify the specific site/campus the student primarily attends.
The map is zoomed in from the state level to show our six-county service area.
The interstates provide a point of reference for the user and also help define the southern
boundary of our service area. Not shown in the layout, but present behind the scene, are
all of the streets in our state. To show them in the layout would clutter the image and
literally cover student data trends. As the legend indicates, in addition to student data, the
five FRCC campus/sites are also represented here.
The combination of student and campus information helps us to visualize how far
students reside from the campus they attend and also shows what areas are not utilizing
our services. For more detail, I included tables that describe the student population
characteristics in a more traditional format.
Without GIS, zip code frequency counts would have been our only way of trying
to visual this same information. As you can see, GIS allows for a much more user-
friendly view of the data.
Geographic Origin: Fall 2000
Legend
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Data are from Fall 2600: end-oi-term. '81943 of students were geocoded for graphic display.
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
6
The previous layout displayed all FRCC students and color-coded the data points
by which campus the student primarily attends. The current layout shows only our
Larimer campus students and again is accompanied by a table to further detail the
population. In addition, a photo of the campus has also been added. In a live ArcView
presentation, photos can be integrated in with just the point and click of the mouse. For
example, our base maps have photos of each of our locations built in so that by clicking
on the geocode location, a photo of that location automatically appears.
Geographic Origin:
Larimer (Fall 2000)
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AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
7
This second pilot project helped us to visualize the impact of moving one of our
sites. This layout map is zoomed into the county in which the current and proposed sites
are located. It is important to note that we have two current sites in Boulder County, and
impact analysis was conducted for each site individually and then for our Boulder County
students as a whole. Currently, 60% of students attending our Longmont site live within
15 miles from campus. With the proposed new campus, 64% would drive less than 15
miles from their home to attend. It is interesting to note here that GIS can create the
radius circles for any size and location. It can then automatically count the number of
data points in or out of the circle.
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.
.
To compare site locations, a second layout was created. Note that the student data
are the same. To create the changes, I just moved the radius circles and adjusted the
student counts. Layouts are live representations of maps, unless otherwise specified.
This means that after creating the last layout, I moved the radius circles and came back to
the layout to have it automatically updated. Then I just saved both versions. Currently,
66% of Boulder campus students live within 15 miles of the campus. With the proposed
campus, 52% of students would drive 15 miles or less to attend at the new site. Again,
for more detail about student characteristics, I included a traditional table.
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