School of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Course Outline for AGSC 130

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN PRECISION FARMING I

Fall 2000

INSTRUCTOR:

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:

AGSC 130 is the first of two one-credit courses in the laptop curriculum of Agriculture Science involving the application of selective computer software in site-specific crop management. The course reviews the basics of global positioning systems (GPS) and provides an introduction to geographic information systems (GIS). Students enrolled in AGSC 130 will be introduced to these important systems through lectures. Students are expected to gain practical knowledge on using GPS and ArcView GIS software through assignments which they are expected to complete on their laptops. Software related to soil conservation, agronomy, and dairy will also be highlighted to provide the student with some understanding of additional computer tools normally utilized in precision farming.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide the student with basic concepts and applications of GPS.
2. To enable the student to gain an understanding of the concepts and applications of GIS.
3. To provide the student with an understanding on how these tools work together and in conjunction with a variety of other spatial data (field collected data, air photos, digital photos, etc..).
4. To acquaint the student with additional computer software generally used in precision farming.
5. To acquaint the student with the use of computer technology in interpreting research data and making presentations.
6. To get the student acquainted with using the laptop in his/her courses.

OFFICE HOURS:

The instructor's designated office hours are on Tuesday (2:00 to 4:00 p.m.), Wednesday (11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon), and Thursday (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Students are also welcome to make appointments to see the instructor at other times. Students with disabilities who require accommodations to fully-participate in the course activities are requested to contact the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.

CONTACT HOURS AND CLASS SCHEDULE:

This is a one-credit hour course. The class includes one contact hour per week for 15 weeks. The class is scheduled for Tuesdays, 5:00 to 5:50 p.m., Room 102, Marshall Hall.

TEXTBOOK(S):

There is no textbook to buy. Handouts and reading material will either be made available on-line or placed on reserve at the library. The following publications may serve as references:

ESRI. 1986-2000. Using ArcView GIS. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California.

Hurn, J. 1989. GPS: A Guide to the Next Utility. Trimble Navigation, Sunnyvale, California.

Shayya, W.H. 2000. An Introduction to ArcView GIS (web tutorial). 

CLASS POLICIES:

• Attendance: Given the nature of the course, all students are urged to attend all classes. Attendance will be taken during each class session and appropriate actions will be taken when students are absent for more than 2 to 3 lectures during the semester. Very few or no absences will be considered during the grading process when the student is close to receiving the next higher letter grade. No make-up examination will be given without a written medical excuse, family emergency, or prior permission from the instructor. Students are responsible for all materials covered in the class whether presented orally during lectures or assigned.

• Assignments: This course will include several homework assignments. Class assignments will account for 20% of the final grade. Therefore, it is important that students complete their assignments accurately, neatly, and on time. Assignments received past the due date will be devalued 5% for each day that the item is late. No class assignment of any student will be graded (for credit) once the same assignment is corrected and returned to the class.

• Examinations: Class examinations will cover class material, homework assignments, and assigned readings.

• Academic honesty policy: The College imposes specific actions in response to incidents of cheating and academic dishonesty. These procedures will be followed and appropriate actions will be taken if these event were to occur.

GRADE COMPOSITION:

• Homework Assignments ==> 20% of final grade

  	Due Date	Points
  Assignment #1	September 12, 2000	10
  ArcView Assignment #1	November 7, 2000	15
  ArcView Assignment #2	November 14, 2000	25
  ArcView Assignment #3	November 21, 2000	50

• First Exam (during the 6^th week) ==> 25% of final grade
• Second Exam (during the 12^th week) ==> 25% of final grade
• Final Examination ==> 30% of final grade

GRADING SCHEME:

The distribution of grades in this course will be based on the A-F University grading scheme. The letter grades correspond to the following percentage scale: A (90-100%), A- (87-89.9%), B+ (83-86.9%), B (80-82.9%), B- (77-79.9%), C+ (73-76.9%), C (70-72.9%), C- (67-69.9%), D+ (63-66.9%), D (60-62.9%), and F (<60%).

TENTATIVE OUTLINE OF TOPICS:

*The topics and corresponding dates listed in the table above are tentative and may be subject to change during the semester.