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Overview

Course Prescription

Explore the interdisciplinary realm of Digital Earth, integrating geospatial techniques and data science to understand socio-environmental processes. A diverse range of analytical and visualisation tools are used to examine Earth, environmental, and societal systems. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how digital technologies transform our knowledge about the planet and enable informed decision-making for addressing environmental and societal challenges.

Course Overview

What is our digital earth, why are spatial data important, how is data measured and represented, and what contextual factors influence your data? This course addresses these questions by integrating foundational geospatial techniques and data science to understand our planet and address contemporary environmental and societal change. Using case studies, Digital Earth teaches students essential digital tools and approaches to comprehend, visualise and analyse earth, environmental and societal systems operating at multiple scales.
This course introduces geospatial techniques, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, mapping, modelling and GeoAI big data analytics. Students will gain understanding of the use of large environmental and social datasets, and build expertise in collecting, managing, and analysing quantitative data.  Additionally, they will learn to understand the limitations of these data, and how quantitative and qualitative data can support informed decision-making. Digital Earth equips students with vital skills that contribute to our understanding and visualisation of environmental and social systems in our data-driven world.

Key Topics

1) Introduction to Digital Earth and Interdisciplinary Frameworks
2) From Physical Reality to Digital Representations: Transitioning through Analogue and Digital Worlds
3) Collecting, Managing, and Analysing Large-Scale Environmental and Social Datasets
4) Mapping and Visualizing Earth Systems across Scales
5) Spatial Analysis: Techniques and Applications
6) Introduction  to Remote Sensing: Methods, Data Acquisition, and Interpretation
7) Introduction to GPS and Big Data Analytics for Geospatial Insights
8) Basics of Modelling Spatial Data to Address Environmental and Societal Challenges
9) Principals of GeoAI: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Advanced Geospatial Analysis
10) Epistemic Politics of Digital Earth: Representation, Knowledge, and Power
11) The Political Economy of Digital Earth: Ownership, Control, and Governance

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.  The following time inputs are indicative of what a student may spend on this course:

  • 12 hours of in-person lectures (12 x 1 hour), 12 hours of online content (12 x 1 hour); 10 hours of laboratories (5 x 2 hours); 10 hours for  quizzes and test;  96 hours for self-study (readings, recordings, practicing lab content etc.) and test, quiz, and poster/blog preparation.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

  • Attendance is expected at lectures and laboratories.
  • Lectures and associated online material will be available as recordings.
  • Attendance on campus is required for the test.
  • The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
  • Completion of any online material associated with lectures will be expected prior to lectures, or as otherwise advised.
  • Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement or be released progressively throughout the course.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

Course content related communications:
All course content related discussions, questions, etc., for the course will be conducted through Piazza.  Personal matters will still be dealt with through email, but course content related questions will not be responded to.  You are encouraged to ask questions when you are struggling to understand concepts.  The quicker you begin asking questions on Piazza the quicker you will benefit from the collective knowledge of your classmates and instructors.

Email policy:

Emails will only be responded to during normal weekday working hours so please do not expect rapid responses outside these times.  As a courtesy, and to ensure a more rapid response, ensure the following:

  •     emails should be sent from your University of Auckland email account
  •     include your name and student ID# in the email
  •     the subject line should clearly indicate the course number and what the email concerns
  •     emails should be written in a professional manner, spell-checked and proof-read before sending
  •     do not use txt or social media-type speak in emails

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Special Requirements

A final mark of 50% or greater is required to pass the course.  The final grade will consist of an aggregate of marks from all of the quizzes, the test and the final assignment.

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

This is the inaugural year for this course

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Additional Information on Tuākana

The School of Environment provides Tuakana support for students who identify as Maori and/or Pacifica.  Information regarding personnel and events is provided at the beginning of the semester.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.