Giedrė Beconytė, Vilnius University / SE “GIS-Centras”Aušra Kalantaitė, National Land ServiceEimuntas Paršeliūnas, Vilnius Gediminas Technical UniversityJurgita Rimkuvienė , HNIT-Baltic

2009 ESRI European User Conference14–16 October 2009

Online Geographic Information Training

for SDI Capacity Building in Lithuania

Contents

• SDI and capacity building

• 9 courses

• Implementation

• Outcome

• Perspectives

LGII: Lithuanian SDIwww.geoportal.lt

Core systems developed in 2005–2008

Launched in 2009

Efficient access to geographic data

More about the project www.gis-centras.lt/LGII

Importance

Capacity problem

Three aspects of proper use of geographic information

• Knowledge/understanding

(what could be done with it?)• Information

(is it available? how to get?)• Skills

(how to manage technically?

Education problem

General university• Knowledge without deep skills

Technical university/college• Good skills without broad knowledge

In-service training• Expensive• Very limited topics

Lack of organisational GIS culture: uneven skills and insufficient mutual understanding

Need for additional training

Content requirements• Newest materials• Problem orientation• Good balance of theory and practice

Organisation requirements• Separate courses, consistent system• Available up-to-date technology• Availability online and flexible schedule• Free of charge

Project statisticsTotal value ~880000 EUR

5928

13

Project cost structure

EU ESF fund

Republic of LithuaniaPartners' input

9 online coursesGeographic Information (GI) courses:

GII-01 “Fundamentals of GI systems”GII-02 “GI organisation and management”GII-03 “GI Infrastructure standards, specifications and

metadata”GII-04 “GI Infrastructure application areas”GII-05 “Geographic database management systems”GII-06 “Geodesy and Cartography for SDI needs”GII-07 “Spatial analysis and modelling”GII-08 “Components of GI Infrastructure”GII-09 „Web programming for GI Infrastructure”

Course materials

• Introduction to course • List of references and recommended literature • Lecture notes (Interactive and text files)• Theoretical exercises and practical

assignments• Tests and quizzes, self-tests, final exam. • Supplementary material: slide presentations,

audio/video lectures, video seminars, online chat and forums with other students/teachers.

Available online in Lithuanian and Englishwww.gismokymai.lt

Course structure

10 ECTS each – equal to university MSc level course

Practical application of theory proved most interesting and wanted

ManagersNational Land Service (full project management)www.nzt.lt SE “GIS-Centras” (initial idea and preparation)www.gis-centras.lt

Developers“HNIT-Baltic” www.hnit-baltic.lt Vancouver Island University, Canadawww.viu.ca Vilnius Gediminas Technical Universitywww.vgtu.lt

Trainees

Specialists of state institutions and enterprises, municipalities – 259 persons, 1154 person/courses

152

107

Gender

Women

Men 210

48

25Students

Institutions

Municipalities

Other

Implementation

3 semesters

I (May-September) Introduction/basics: GII01, GII02, GII06

II (September-December)Application specific courses: GII03, GII04, GII05

III (January-April) More complex courses: GII07, GII08, GII09

Additional time for tests and exams

Technological schemeBased on ESRI ArcGIS software

DVDArcGIS 9.2...

GII-05

GII-09

ArcGIS serverArcGIS Licence server

Blackboard

Web resourcesESRI Virtual Campus

Video lecturesDiscussions

SubmissionsEvaluations

WWW

@

Implementation

Problems

Intensity due to short time span allowed for the courses (peculiarity of EU financed projects)

Complexity of materials

Control of students’ honesty

Lack of students’ motivation, full employment, especially in industry

Courses• Average 4 courses per trainee• 26 trainees attended 9 courses each• 45 trainees attended only one course

Results1154 - total number of courses

502 University certificates with marks

489 Certificates of attendance

502

489

163

Average evaluation 6,6 (out of 10)

Marks: 10

9

8

6 and 7

Comments

Teacher:

“I believe that such courses is a single option for several hundred people to acquire knowledge on GIS, SDI and geomatics within one year.”

Trainee:

“It was so difficult... The course was very interesting and useful.”

“Such a complex assignment. ... I feel completely exhausted...

Perspectives

• Materials available in Lithuanian and English• Continued online training carried out by different

stakeholders• Further development of materials

We are open for partnerships!

Thank you