The lab procedure, generally:

In part 1, students will be introduced to the basic operations and concepts of Model Builder by following a tutorial that covers several of MB’s more powerful features.

In part 2, students will be gently introduced to Kepler workflow software by following a tutorial that covers the basics of Kepler’s operation (but falls well short of illustrating the power and complexity of the software, which unfortunately requires an investment of more time than we can give during lab).

Length:

The work will probably fill the allotted time for our lab.

The major objective(s):

• ArcGIS is a major tool in the world of GIS and thus its most unique features should be familiar to students with a future in geospatial research or other work. It is important for students to understand how ArcGIS’ model builder operates, as it is a very powerful (and relatively easy) tool for automating geoprocessing routines.
• As for Kepler, it is a tool with massive potential in geoscience. It is admittedly not the easiest ship to steer, so to speak, but the idea here is that a small taste of it will suggest to students its power and utility.

The lab report:

At various points in the lessons (marked by orange blocks in the pdfs), students are asked to turn in models and xml documents — the products of their MB and Kepler exercises.

Grading:

lab is worth 10 points