By Shahabuddin Amerudin
The survey collected data from 30 students who are going to take GIS Software System course in Semester 2 Session 2022/2023 from Bachelor of Science in Geoinformatics with Honours at Geoinformation Programme, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The survey aimed to identify the students’ understanding of GIS and their prior experience with different types of geospatial software, non-spatial software, and primary sources of geospatial software.
Overall Understanding of GIS
The first question in the survey asked the students to rate their overall understanding of GIS. The response options ranged from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Based on the survey data, it appears that the majority of the students (60%) rated their overall understanding of GIS as intermediate, while the remaining students rated their understanding as beginner.
Types of Geospatial Software Used Before
The survey asked the students about their prior experience with different types of geospatial software, including desktop GIS, server GIS, internet GIS, web GIS, cloud GIS, and mobile GIS. The response options were either “Selected” or “Not Selected.” Based on the survey data, it appears that all students have used desktop GIS software before. In contrast, fewer students have experience with other types of geospatial software, such as server GIS (56.7%), internet GIS (50%), and mobile GIS (36.7%). It is worth noting that the number of students who have experience with cloud GIS (26.7%) and web GIS (30%) is lower than the other types of geospatial software.
Types of Non-Spatial Software Used Before
The survey also asked the students about their prior experience with non-spatial software that can be used in geospatial applications, including databases, web services, programming environments, and none. Based on the survey data, it appears that the majority of the students have used databases (90%) and web services (70%) before, while a smaller percentage of students have experience with programming environments (56.7%). Notably, no students reported having no experience with non-spatial software.
Familiarity with Primary Sources of Geospatial Software
The survey asked the students about their familiarity with the primary sources of geospatial software, including commercial and Free and Open-Source Software for GIS (FOSS4G) options. The response options ranged from “I am familiar with both commercial and FOSS4G options” to “I am not familiar with either option.” Based on the survey data, it appears that the majority of the students (70%) are familiar with both commercial and FOSS4G options, while a smaller percentage of students are only familiar with commercial options (20%) or FOSS4G options (6.7%). Only one student reported not being familiar with either option.
Major Functionalities Needed from Off-the-Shelf Software Based on Requirements
Finally, the survey asked the students about the major functionalities needed from off-the-shelf software based on requirements, including data management, analysis tools, visualization tools, web publishing, mobile support, customization capabilities, and others. The response options were either “Selected” or “Not Selected.” Based on the survey data, it appears that all students identified data management as a major functionality needed from off-the-shelf software. Other functionalities that were commonly selected by the students include visualization tools (86.7%), analysis tools (76.7%), and customization capabilities (76.7%). In contrast, fewer students identified mobile support (53.3%) and web publishing (60%) as major functionalities needed from off-the-shelf software.
Discussion
Overall, the results of this survey indicate that the respondents have a varied level of experience and knowledge with geospatial software and tools.
It is worth noting that the majority of the respondents have used desktop GIS software before, but have little to no experience with cloud GIS or custom applications. Additionally, the majority of respondents have used databases and web services, while few have experience with programming environments.
In terms of knowledge about the primary sources of geospatial software, most respondents are familiar with both commercial and FOSS4G options, while a smaller number are familiar with only commercial options or only FOSS4G options.
When asked about the major functionalities needed from off-the-shelf software based on requirements, the most commonly selected options were data management, analysis tools, visualization tools, and web publishing. Mobile support and customization capabilities were also deemed important, but less frequently than the other options.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the results of this survey suggest that the students who are going to take the GIS Software System course have a varied level of experience and knowledge with geospatial software and tools, and may benefit from further education and training in areas such as cloud GIS and custom applications. Additionally, the results suggest that the students have a good understanding of the primary sources of geospatial software, and have a clear idea of the major functionalities needed from off-the-shelf software based on requirements.
Citation:
Amerudin, S. (2023) Assessing Students’ GIS Knowledge and Software Experience: A Survey Study. Available at: https://people.utm.my/shahabuddin/?p=6103 (Accessed: 22 March 2023).
