Diffusion Of Geographic Information Systems Research Articles

Can GIS Foster Conscious and Critical Learning in Geography? An Application from Students to a Real Case Included in the National Strategy for Inner Areas: Monti Dauni, Apulia (Italy)

Digital technologies, the use of which has progressively increased over the last few years, could represent key tools in learning and active citizenship in development processes. In this sense, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have gradually become an integral part of various disciplines and sectors. Even if the relevance and diffusion of GIS in the educational and pedagogical fields are increasing, their potential is still under-explored in the development of empowerment for participatory planning. Regarding the combination of geographical education and information technologies applied to the territories, the contribution they offer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is a question which remains little-investigated, and which represents both an innovative field of experimentation and significant opportunities, especially for marginal, inner areas. However, recent reforms, in particular in Italy, are considerably reducing the role of geography in the curricula, which is paradoxical for such complex contexts and the understanding of major global issues. The risk is that of producing a gap between the functional use of the tools and the capacity for their critical application. This paper aims to reflect on the integration of Geography and GIS through teaching experimentation, as applied to a real case study in the Apulia region (Monti Dauni Area) under the national strategy for inner areas, in order to understand how to use GIS as an active tool in education for sustainability, the awareness of the value of local resources, and active citizenship.

GIS diffusion in Uganda

ABSTRACTDespite myriad studies having been carried out on the diffusion of geographical information systems (GIS) technology, only a limited number have been done within the context of developing countries. This paper addresses the research question, how did the diffusion of GIS technology occur in Uganda? Mixed methods were used for data collection, and analysis was performed using a theoretical framework called the diffusion of innovations (DOI). The results of the study showed that the adoption of GIS by institutions in Uganda occurred in a classic diffusion pattern consistent with diffusion theory. Adoption of GIS was promoted by its relative advantage over, and compatibility with, existing technologies. It was characterized by both heterophilous and homophilous communication channels, and influenced by change agents and champions. Its rate of adoption followed an S-shaped diffusion curve, and was hampered by bureaucracy, and patronage-based societal norms. This study makes a contribution to literature on GIS diffusion in developing countries.

A Density-Based Spatial Flow Cluster Detection Method

GIScience 2016 Short Paper Proceedings A Density-Based Spatial Flow Cluster Detection Method Ran Tao 1 , Jean-Claude Thill 1 Dept. of Geography & Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC Email:{ rtao2; jfthill}@uncc.edu Abstract Understanding the patterns and dynamics of spatial origin-destination flow data has been a long- standing goal of spatial scientists. In this paper we introduce a density-based cluster detection method tailored for disaggregated spatial flow data. The basic idea is to first measure flow density considering both endpoint coordinates and flow lengths, and combine it with state-of-art density-based clustering methods. We experiment with a carefully designed synthetic dataset. The results prove that our method can effectively extract flow clusters from various situations encompassing varied flow densities, lengths, hierarchies and, at the same time, avoid issues of Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) of flows endpoints, loss of spatial information, and false positive errors on short flows. 1. Introduction Spatial flows, also known as spatial interactions (SI) between georeferenced places, have been an enduring study object in a wide range of research fields. With the widespread adoption of location-aware technologies and the global diffusion of geographic information systems (GIS), spatial interaction data have been enriched in several respects including volume, type, availability, ubiquity, and spatiotemporal granularity (Yan and Thill 2009; Guo et al. 2012). While it brings unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of SI processes and thus enriching SI theories, it also brings the analytical challenge of developing more data-drive approaches tailored for SI data (Yan and Thill 2009). As a common data mining technique, cluster detection has proved useful in exploratory analysis of large sets of spatial flows. One approach measures the spatial relationships among origins and destinations, respectively, before combining them, as the basis for clustering flows. Here, spatial relationships can be contiguity or proximity of origin or destination regions (Guo 2009; Zhu and Guo 2014). However these methods are sensitive to uneven distribution and ad hoc zoning definition of flow endpoints; besides they are prone to false positive errors on short- distance interactions. Another type of methods use flow geometry to bundle nearby ones (Cui et al. 2008). While the results usually have desirable visual clarity, these methods compromise through loss of valuable spatial information. In this paper we introduce a new method that not only can extract spatial flow clusters from various situations including varying flow densities, lengths, hierarchies, but also avoids problems like MAUP, false positive errors, and loss of information. 2. Methodology Of various clustering methods, we choose to design our flow clustering method in the density- based tradition because of its capability to discover clusters of arbitrary shape and to filter out noise. Moreover, density-based methods like OPTICS (Ankerst et al. 1999) can effectively reveal hierarchical structures in the data since its byproduct, the reachability plot, is convertible to a dendrogram (Sander et al. 2003; Campello et al. 2013). Hereafter, we first introduce the proximity metric tailored to spatial flows; then we explain the clustering method step by step.

Ontologie informatiche della geografia. Una sistematizzazione del dibattito contemporaneo

Geographical and geospatial ontologies are receiving a considerable attention in information technology, due to three different factors: the growing diffusion of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), their use in different applications and the impulse given by Semantic Web to this research area. The aim of these pages is to describe what a geo-information ontology is, in order to systematize the contemporary debate. In the first part, we delineate the domain of ontology of geography within the contemporary philosophical context. In the second part, we define the meaning of ontology in the information technology domain. In the last two parts, finally, we analyze contemporary geo-information ontologies, suggesting a potential classification.

Interoperability of data in spatial planning

Spatial planning activity in the last 10 years has increasingly used computer-based tools. With the diffusion of geographic information systems, technicians and planners have had at their disposal more and more databases. Geo-databases were originally created to meet specific local or thematic purposes, whereas now data tend to be organised in more complex spatial data infrastructures that can be useful in various types of spatial planning and programming activities. In order to ensure that the different spatial data infrastructures of the EU member states are compatible and usable in a community and trans-boundary context, the European Union issued the ‘Inspire’ directive, which aims to create a pan-European spatial data infrastructure. A common European spatial data insfrastructure would allow the sharing of spatial information among public sector organisations, thereby facilitating better access to spatial information across Europe. ‘Inspire’ requires that common implementing rules are adopted in a number of specific areas such as metadata, data specifications, network services, data and service sharing, monitoring and reporting. These implementing rules are adopted as EC decisions or regulations and are binding in their entirety. The Plan4all project, co-funded by the EC programme ‘eContentplus’, experimented in the harmonisation of spatial planning data based on trans-national cooperation among EU public administrations, public and private research institutions and stakeholders. More information and details can be found at http://www.plan4all.eu .

Trasformazioni tra sistemi di coordinate: software disponibili, limiti e potenzialità

Abstract: The use of different reference systems has involved the need of suitable methodologies for the transformation between coordinate systems. Nowadays such a need is done strong because of the diffusion of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and by the use of GPS. The study examines and compares some software for the automatic transformation of coordinate between reference systems adopted in Italy.

Findings from a survey on GIS use in the UK National Health Service: organisational challenges and opportunities

The use of geographical information systems (GIS) in a variety of application areas points to an increasing interest in the spatial aspects of health policies. Despite the fact that most public sector organisations in the United Kingdom (UK) have access to such software tools, there has not been a comprehensive review of take-up within the health sector. In this paper, we report on a recently completed mixed-method research project that has examined the current levels of GIS use in the UK National Health Service, and focus our discussion on health authorities (HAs). Couched within the context of previous studies that have been concerned with outlining the types of factors influencing IT implementation in the health sector, we illuminate the importance of behavioural, cultural and organisational factors on the diffusion of GIS in the UK National Health Service. It is noted that very few organisations had a GIS strategy and we contend that if GIS is to play a wider role in addressing issues surrounding ‘joined-up’ government, more advice and guidance is needed on policies promoting the exchange of geographical data between agencies concerned with tackling health issues. We conclude by drawing attention to the perceived lack of national guidance on GIS matters, more generally, within the UK health sector.

GIS in Italian urban planning

The paper presents the findings of research into the implementation and use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Italian local authority planning departments. The first part provides contextual information and available data on the diffusion of GIS in Italian local government. This is followed by a discussion of two detailed case-studies undertaken in cities already having 10 years experience in GIS development and use. Based on the findings of these case-studies, and on the earlier evidence presented, the paper suggests that the view of GIS as a “tool” for more rational decision-making, and increased efficiency and effectiveness, may be particularly inappropriate in countries in which these values do not receive high priority. Instead, GIS appears to be a malleable resource able to serve different agendas, through both its technical and symbolic use. In this context, the view of computing as a “package” appears to be useful in explaining some of the characteristics of the cases investigated. Three sets of factors are confirmed as having an important influence on the implementation and use of GIS: the organizational context, people, and environmental stability. In addition, the paper argues that a fourth element, cultural values, plays an important part in shaping the implementation and use of GIS in a given context, and that its significance may be crucial in understanding the experiences of GIS in different countries even when technical solutions are similar.

‘Universal’ GIS versus national land information traditions: Internationalization of software or endogenous developments?

There are large and surprising gaps between the diffusion of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in European countries. Whereas in some countries, notably in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, GIS technology has already become standard practice in cartography, local land management, and planning, other countries have been extremely slow in adopting the new technology. This paper discusses why this is so. The hypothesis is that national land information traditions determine the institutional environment and procedures into which the new technology needs to be integrated, and that this restricts the transfer of ‘universal’ GIS software developed in different national settings. The paper ends by drawing some conclusions out of this for a European GIS research agenda.