Course Title: Operate spatial software applications

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2023

Course Code: OFFC5350C

Course Title: Operate spatial software applications

Important Information:

Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities.  

To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption.  

Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209.  

Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus  


Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance.  

School: 530T Built Environment and Sustainability

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4417 - Certificate IV in Surveying and Spatial Information Services

Course Contact: Matthew Sweeney

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4105

Course Contact Email: matthew.sweeney@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Dr.Indira Wittamperuma

Surveying & Spatial Educator

Surveying Department

School of Vocational Engineering, Health & Science

RMIT University

MELBOURNE  3001

Victoria, Australia

Email: indira.wittamperuma@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to operate spatial software applications to produce, name and store spatial documents. Spatial documents include documents that contain geographic content such as a map, plan, spreadsheet, graph, diagram. The course includes planning work tasks and selecting and using suitable software and equipment to present, calculate and check spatial information.

This course is suitable for entry-level technicians who use a broad range of cognitive, technical and communication skills to select and apply a range of methods, tools, materials and information to complete routine and non-routine activities and provide and transmit solutions to a variety of predictable and sometimes unpredictable problems.



National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CPPSSI4036 Operate spatial software applications

Element:

1. Plan spatial operation

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify and review task objectives, audience and presentation requirements in consultation with appropriate persons.

1.2 Select appropriate software application, equipment and resources to meet spatial task objectives and organisational requirements.

1.3 Set up and check software to ensure correct operation and functionality.

Element:

2. Carry out spatial operation

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Operate tools and features of software application to produce spatial documents according to task requirements.

2.2 Undertake computations using basic formulas and functions in software.

2.3 Use technical functions and tools to edit, format and complete documents according to task requirements.

2.4 Implement quality controls to verify accuracy of document content according to task requirements.

2.5 Identify and resolve problems with spatial data and documents.

Element:

3. Finalise spatial operation

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Design spatial document presentation and layout.

3.2 Name and store spatial documents in directories and folders according to organisational requirements.

3.3 Check and finalise spatial documents according to task requirements.

3.4 Complete and record documentation according to organisational requirements.


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements. 


Details of Learning Activities

This will include:

  • Planning and documenting project requirements
  • Carryout spatial operations using spatial software applications
  • Completing documentation and finalising project requirements 

The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course includes all planned activities (face to face classes, lectures, workshops and seminars; workplace visits, online learning and other forms of structured teaching and learning). It also covers the amount of effort necessary to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, observation of work performance, discussions with supervisors and others providing third party evidence and one on one and group assessment sessions with students.


Teaching Schedule

Session One

6 - 10 February

Welcome and course overview

In this session you will be introduced to the assessment requirements and spatial Technology that includes spatial software applications, standards, digital vector data and raster imagery, spatial data structures, formats, attributes, aspatial text and topology. You will also be provided the information to Install appropriate GIS Software onto your personal computers.

Activity: Introduced to spatial technology


 

Session Two

13-19 February

Introduction to Safe Software FME

In this session you will be introduced to Safe Software Feature Manipulation Engine (FME)

Activity: Introduction to Safe Software FME

Session Three

20 - 26 February

Introduction to Spatial References (Projections, Datum's and Coordinate Systems)

In this session you will be introduced to the key components of Spatial References. This includes: Projection systems, Datum's and Coordinate Systems

Activity: Introduction to Spatial References

Session Four

27 February - 5 March

Introduction to Geoprocessing terms and techniques

In this session you will be introduced to geoprocessing terms and techniques used on Vector datasets (points lines and polygons) and Raster images. These include: buffer, clipping, dissolving, intersections, merging, union, erasing, reprojecting, reclassifying, resampling, combining datasets, statistics and extracting information.

Activity: Introduction to geoprocessing techniques

 

Session Five

6-12 March

Introduction to Metadata

In this session you will be introduced to Metadata and the associated standards including associated metadata fields

Activity: Introduction to metadata standards and associated fields

Session Six

13-19 March

 

Assessment 1: Project Initiation

In this session you will meet the client where you will discuss and document all project requirements in a project scoping document. You will also download and validate datasets required for the project to ensure the data meets requirements

 

Note: 13 Feb - Labour Day public holiday

 

Session Seven

20-26 March

Assessment 1: Project Execution

In this session you will identify and resolve topological errors.

 

Census DateLinks to an external site.

31 March 2023

 

The Census Date is the last day you can withdraw from this course without financial penalty. If you need to withdraw from this course, you must do so before this date to avoid additional student fees. 

 

 

 

Session Eight

27 March - 2 April

Assessment 1: Project Execution

In this session you will create a thematic map that includes contours with labels, hypsometric areas with a raster image as a background layer. You will also calculate and interpret univariate statistics for the different religion groups located within the cemetery and output into a graph.

 

Session Nine

3-9 April

 

Assessment 1: Project Finalisation

In this session you will complete the metadata Statement, the submission of completed work document, answer the knowledge questions and submit all requirements onto canvas.

 

Note: 07 April (Friday) - Good Friday public holiday

Assessment 1 Due date: 02 April  2023

Mid-semester break

10-16 April

The Mid-semester break is a scheduled break in the semester. No teaching or assessment will occur during this time. Also, your Trainer/Assessor won't be available during this time. If you need to contact them, please email them via your student email account, and they will respond once they return from the break. 

 

Notes:

10 April - Easter Monday public holiday

11 April - Easter Tuesday RMIT holiday

 

Session Ten

17-23 April

Introduction to spatial data editing, manipulating and capture

In this session you will be introduced to the assessment requirements data capture, manipulation and validation techniques using spatial technology

Activity: Data manipulation, editing and capture

Session Eleven

24-30 April

Introduction to spatial data editing, manipulating and capture (Continuation)

Activity: Data manipulation, editing and capture

ANZAC Day

Public holiday

25 April 2023

No teaching or assessment will occur on ANZAC Day. Additionally, RMIT staff will not be available during this time. If you need to contact them, please email them via your student email account, and they will respond once they return from the break.   

Session Twelve

1-7 May

Introduction to graphical methods for representing distributions

In this session you will be introduced to different ways to represent data attribute distribution. These include: Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Line Plots, Frequency Table and Circle Graph

Activity:  Graphical methods for representing distributions

Session Thirteen

8-14 May

Introduction to thematic mapping

In this session you will be introduced to different methods for creating thematic maps

Activity: Thematic maps

Session Fourteen

15-21 May

Assessment 2: Project Initiation

In this session you will meet the client where you will discuss and document all project requirements in a project scoping document. You will also download and validate datasets required for the project to ensure they meet requirements and resolve topological errors.

 

Session Fifteen

22-28 May

Assessment 2: Project Execution

In this session you will create a graph with scatter plot, trend line and correlation coefficient value

Assessment 2 Due date: 28 May 2023

Session Sixteen

29 May - 4 June

Assessment 2: Project Finalisation

In this session you will complete the metadata statement and Submission of Completed Work and upload all requirements onto canvas

 

Session Seventeen

5-11 June

Revision and feedback on work completed  

Session Eighteen

12-18 June

Assessment marking and finalising results  

Queens Birthday 

Public Holiday

12 June 2023

No teaching or assessing will occur on the Queen's Birthday. Additionally, RMIT staff will not be available during this time. If you need to contact them, please email them via your student email account, and they will respond once they return from the break.   

Official Results Release Date Links to an external site.

29 June 2023

Important: It is your responsibility to check your results on this date.

Your official results for this course will be released on this date. Your teacher will not inform you of your final result. It will only be available via My Student Record on RMIT's website. 

It is not your Trainer/Assessors responsibility to let you know your final result. 

Your teacher will not be available to comment on your assessment or final results from 18-29 June 2022. After this date, you can contact them to talk about your final result if you need it. 




Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

All email communications will be sent to your RMIT email address and you must regularly check your RMIT emails.

Students will be able to access course information and learning materials through the Learning Hub and may be provided with additional materials in class. Lists of relevant reference books, resources in the library and accessible Internet sites will be provided where possible. You will also use equipment and software packages in the laboratory for the project work. During the course, you will be directed to websites to enhance your knowledge and understanding of difficult concepts

Check the Library Subject Guides: http://rmit.libguides.com/geospatial


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights to your written tasks. Full assessment briefs will be provided and can be found on CANVAS. 


Assessment Tasks

Assessment number Assessment type Week Due
Assessment 1

Riverside Cemetery Analysis Report

Week 9

Assessment 2 Environmental Factors Affecting Koalas Week 15


Assessment Matrix

Mapping Assessments to the Unit of Competency – Instructions

Element

Performance criteria

 

 

   

Assessment

      Task 1

Riverside Cemetery flood analysis report

Assessment

Task 2

Environmental Factors

affecting Koalas

1. Plan spatial operation.

 

 

 

1.1. Identify and review task objectives, audience and presentation requirements in consultation with appropriate persons.

A1

A1

1.2. Select appropriate software application, equipment and resources to meet spatial task objectives and organisational requirements.

A1

A1

1.3. Set up and check software to ensure correct operation and functionality.

A1

A1

2. Carry out spatial operation

2.1. Operate tools and features of software application to produce spatial documents according to task requirements.

B3, B4

B3, B4

2.2. Undertake computations using basic formulas and functions in software.

B3

B3

2.3. Use technical functions and tools to edit, format and complete documents according to task requirements.

B4

B4

2.4. Implement quality controls to verify accuracy of document content according to task requirements.

A1, B3

A1, B3

2.5. Identify and resolve problems with spatial data and documents

B1, B2

B1, B2

3 Finalise spatial operation

3.1 Design spatial document presentation and layout

B3

B3

3.2. Name and store spatial documents in directories and folders according to organisational requirements.

A1, B8

A1, B7

3.3. Check and finalise spatial documents according to task requirements

B7

B6

3.4. Complete and record documentation according to organisational requirements.

B7

B6

 

Performance Evidence 

A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements below

Assessment

      Task 1

Riverside Cemetery Analysis Report

Assessment

Task 2

Environmental Factors

affecting Koalas

To demonstrate competency a candidate must meet the elements and performance criteria of this unit by planning and producing two spatial documents. Each spatial document must use two different types of spatial software applications.

Assessment

Task 1

 

Riverside Cemetery flood analysis report

 

ESRI ArcGIS Pro, Safe Software FME, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel

Assessment

Task 2

 

Environmental Factors

affecting Koalas

 

Safe Software FME, Microsoft Excel

 


Knowledge Evidence 

To be competent in this unit a candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

Assessment

      Task 1

Riverside Cemetery flood analysis report

Assessment

Task 2

Environmental Factors

affecting Koalas

  • types of spatial documents

 

B6

Question 3

 

  • types of spatial software applications and their features, tools and functions

 

B6

Question 1

 

  • format conventions for spatial documents

 

B6

Question 3

 

  • data privacy, copyright and/or licensing relating to spatial documents.

 

B6

Question 5

 

 

 

 

Assessment conditions

Describe how assessments meet the assessment conditions

Assessors must meet the requirements for assessors contained in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations.

Assessors need to satisfy the assessor requirements for delivering this unit. Assessors to have appropriate industry experience and knowledge This to be managed by the training manager

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting where these skills and knowledge would be performed.

Assessments reflect the workspace environment.

Assessors to have appropriate industry experience and knowledge.

Students have access to computers with the latest GIS software packages during scheduled class times that comply with current industry practices.

 

Candidates must have access to:

computer with access to GIS software applications

printer and other hardware necessary for work tasks.

 

All labs will have the appropriate computers and software installed.

Software that students required include:

  • Microsoft Office available through Office 365
  • ESRI ArcGIS Pro
  • Safe Software FME
  • Google Earth Pro

Students will have access to additional software through Office 365. The students can sign in with your RMIT email address and password.

organisational policies and procedures relating to:

•              work health and safety (WHS)

•              data privacy and copyright.

Students will be provided documentation relating to work health and safety (WHS), data and information privacy and/or licensing as part of the training.

 

Other Information

Interim Results

After you have submitted an assessment, you will receive an interim result. This is displayed in the Grades section of this Canvas shell. These will be as follows:

Results

Description

Satisfactory (S)

 

You will receive this interim result when you meet all of the following criteria:

  • You have submitted your assessment by the due date and time.
  • You have attended the required minimum attendance for this course.
  • You have met all the assessment requirements, and your Trainer/Assessor deems that you have satisfactorily completed the assessment. 

Not Yet Satisfactory (NYS)

 

You will receive this interim result when you meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • You have not attended the required minimum attendance for this course.
  • You have not met one or more of the assessment requirements, and your Trainer/Assessor deems that you have not satisfactorily completed the assessment. 

Did Not Submit (DNS)

 

You will receive this result when you have not submitted your assessment by the due date or time. Your Trainer/Assessor, the Program Coordinator or the Program Manager cannot overturn this interim result. An approved Special Consideration is required to allow further opportunities to complete the assessment. Additionally, moderation panels cannot overturn this result either.

 

Note: You must achieve a Satisfactory (S) result for every assessment in this course in order to pass.

 

Interim results will inform the moderation panel of their decision as to whether or not you are deemed competent and can pass the course. Your final and official result will be published via My Results on RMIT's website. It is your responsibility to check your final results. Your Trainer/Assessor, the Program Coordinator or the Program Manager will not inform you of your final result.

 

Resubmission Policy:

After you submit your assessment, your Trainer/Assessor will review your submission. If you have met all the requirements of the assessment task, you will receive an S result in your Grades section of this course.

 

If the Trainer/Assessor determines that you have not met the assessment requirements, you will receive an NYS result in the Grades section. In this case, your Trainer/Assessor will provide you with the following opportunities to resubmit:

  • Project/Practical-Based Assessment Task: One Resubmission per assessment.
  • Knowledge-Based Assessment Task (Tests): Two Resubmissions per assessment

Important: If you do not submit an assessment by its due date or time, you are not entitled to a resubmission. You will only receive an opportunity to submit an assessment that you have failed to submit on time if you provide an approved Special Consideration. Your Trainer/Assessor, Program Coordinator & Program Manager or the Moderation panel cannot overturn a DNS result without approved Special Consideration.

 

*Resubmissions cannot be accepted via email or as attachments to the comments of another assessment. Any work submitted in this manner will not be accepted or recognised, regardless of the circumstances. All resubmissions must be uploaded via the original submission folder and by the due date and time set by the Trainer/Assessor.

 

**Your Trainer/Assessor, Program Coordinator or Program Manager cannot issue further resubmission opportunities beyond those stated here. You will only be provided with further opportunities based on the successful application for Special Consideration or upon the course moderation panel's review and decision at the course's end.

 

Attendance:

You are required to attend a minimum of 85% of your classes. If you miss classes, you will need to provide a medical certificate to your Trainer/Assessor for classes that result in you not meeting the 85% requirement.

 

If you fail to attend the minimum required classes and engage in each class, your trainer/assessor will not accept your assessment submissions. You will be required to attend an in-person interview with your trainer/assessor at a time determined by them. Failure to attend this interview will result in your assessment being rejected. Additionally, the trainer/assessor reserves the right to reject your assessment based on the interview's outcome. This is required to ensure RMIT meets the Standards set for RTOs to ensure the validity of your work.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview