Which place for spatial modelling in GIS education?: the example of the GITTA project

Abstract

The GITTA project covers the overall matter of Geographic Information Sciences (GIS). Spatial modelling (SM) is the particular theme of GIS as it is everywhere in the life cycle of Geographic Information (GI). No analysis without modelling, no database without modelling, no data capture without modelling, etc. Thus SM could be tackled in every module of a GIS course such as spatial analysis, data capture, databases. The course structure proposed for the GITTA project introduces two modules of one ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) unit each entirely devoted to SM. The particularity of SM induces that the content of the SM modules is narrowly related to the others. Deciding the place of particular modelling notions during the integration phase of the content of the modules is of prior importance. This requires that we precisely settle the frontier between modules by clearly explicating the links between modules according to their structural line. The paper aims at bringing some elements of reflexion on the enhancement of the quality of the structure and content of the GIS courses by dealing with the central issue of spatial modelling.