Teaching Critical Teaching Critical Thinking Skills within Thinking Skills within

Ag Geospatial Ag Geospatial CurriculumCurriculum

Ag GIS Education Ag GIS Education SymposiumSymposium

Pismo Beach, CaliforniaPismo Beach, CaliforniaJanuary 20, 2006January 20, 2006

Terry Brase, Associate ProfessorAgricultural TechnologyKirkwood Community CollegeCedar Rapids, Iowa

Decision-making processDecision-making process

► Identify QuestionIdentify Question►Collect data / information about Collect data / information about

QuestionQuestion►Summarize dataSummarize data►Develop potential solutionsDevelop potential solutions►Analyze and select solutionAnalyze and select solution► Implement selected solutionImplement selected solution►ReevaluateReevaluate

Examples of decisionsExamples of decisions

►No-Till or Minimum tillage on a No-Till or Minimum tillage on a particular fieldparticular field

►Seed or plant varietySeed or plant variety►Amount of fertilizerAmount of fertilizer►Participation in a government programParticipation in a government program►Adding drainage tile/terraces/furrowsAdding drainage tile/terraces/furrows►Harvesting timeHarvesting time► Irrigation Irrigation

3 Objectives of Precision 3 Objectives of Precision FarmingFarming

►RecordkeepingRecordkeeping Use of Precision farming tools to record Use of Precision farming tools to record

inventory, production or managementinventory, production or management►Spatial analysisSpatial analysis

Use of tools and records to analyze Use of tools and records to analyze records for decision makingrecords for decision making

►Variable Rate ApplicationVariable Rate Application Use of tools and analysis to apply correct Use of tools and analysis to apply correct

amounts on fieldsamounts on fields

Decision-makingDecision-making

►A decision should be based on A decision should be based on accurate and complete data. accurate and complete data.

►This data is summarized to create This data is summarized to create valuable information. valuable information.

► Information is interpreted (explained) Information is interpreted (explained) in order to make a decision.in order to make a decision.

Tools of Precision FarmingTools of Precision Farming

►Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning System►Geographic Information SystemGeographic Information System►ComputersComputers► Intelligent Devices and ImplementsIntelligent Devices and Implements►Remote Sensing/Digital ImageryRemote Sensing/Digital Imagery

How are the tools used?How are the tools used?

► Data collectionData collection IDI sensors to measure and sense soils or IDI sensors to measure and sense soils or

conditionsconditions GPS to georeference to a mapGPS to georeference to a map GIS to manage and display dataGIS to manage and display data

► Data AnalysisData Analysis Statistical Summary - GISStatistical Summary - GIS Query objects and areas of interest - GISQuery objects and areas of interest - GIS

► ImplementationImplementation GIS Spatial records in databaseGIS Spatial records in database Interpretive maps from GISInterpretive maps from GIS Variable Rate Application with GPS and IDIVariable Rate Application with GPS and IDI

Processes of Precision Processes of Precision FarmingFarming

►Data Collection (builds data)Data Collection (builds data)►Data Analysis (creates information)Data Analysis (creates information)► Information Implementation (uses Information Implementation (uses

information for decision making)information for decision making)

►Duplicates the decision making Duplicates the decision making processprocess

What does industry need?What does industry need?

►Graduates that have:Graduates that have: Agronomic skillsAgronomic skills Technical skillsTechnical skills Work ethicsWork ethics Geospatial skillsGeospatial skills Critical thinkingCritical thinking

Tool vs Processes of Tool vs Processes of Geospatial TechnologiesGeospatial Technologies

GPS and GIS are tools used for the processes GPS and GIS are tools used for the processes ► Some programs and courses are designed to Some programs and courses are designed to

teach the tools without teaching the teach the tools without teaching the processesprocesses

► Teaching the tools is training, teaching the Teaching the tools is training, teaching the processes and critical thinking skills is processes and critical thinking skills is educationeducation

► Based on what industry needs, we need to be Based on what industry needs, we need to be concentrating on using geospatial tools to concentrating on using geospatial tools to enhance critical thinking and work ethic skillsenhance critical thinking and work ethic skills

Techniques of Data Techniques of Data CollectionCollection

► Field operations Field operations ► ScoutingScouting► As applied variable rate applicationAs applied variable rate application► Remotely sensed imagesRemotely sensed images► Yield mappingYield mapping► Soil testingSoil testing

If we are teaching these without helping the If we are teaching these without helping the student apply it to a problem, then we are student apply it to a problem, then we are teaching tools.teaching tools.

Techniques of Data AnalysisTechniques of Data Analysis

►Averaging and summarizing dataAveraging and summarizing data►Query selection and averaging dataQuery selection and averaging data►Creating Management ZonesCreating Management Zones►Surface analysisSurface analysis►Reclassifying dataReclassifying data►Overlay analysisOverlay analysis►Statistical analysisStatistical analysis

Techniques of Interpretation Techniques of Interpretation and Implementationand Implementation

►Suitability mapSuitability map►Summarize by zonesSummarize by zones►Temporal analysis mapTemporal analysis map►Predictive modelingPredictive modeling►Prescriptive modelingPrescriptive modeling

Data collection Data collection

► In industry – managers need data and In industry – managers need data and information to make decisionsinformation to make decisions

►Collecting accurate and valid dataCollecting accurate and valid data►Knowing what data to collectKnowing what data to collect►Spatial awareness!Spatial awareness!

Data Collection - Critical Thinking Data Collection - Critical Thinking ActivitiesActivities

Intro to Precision FarmingIntro to Precision Farming Introduce the concept of data collectionIntroduce the concept of data collection Students are assigned random objects Students are assigned random objects

and must think of attributes that could be and must think of attributes that could be collected as data and would be valuable collected as data and would be valuable for a person managing those objectsfor a person managing those objects

Example – Students are assigned Example – Students are assigned fireplugs and they must think of 3 fireplugs and they must think of 3 attributes that could be recorded as data. attributes that could be recorded as data. Or trash receptacles, street lamps… Or trash receptacles, street lamps…

Geospatial Data CollectionGeospatial Data Collection

provides advanced techniques in provides advanced techniques in collecting data collecting data

Students must determine data that needs Students must determine data that needs to be collected.to be collected.

Identify their own project (park, cornfield, Identify their own project (park, cornfield, golf course...) and the problem to be golf course...) and the problem to be solved.solved.

Students must define the question, Students must define the question, develop a list of attributes and data that develop a list of attributes and data that they collect for their projectthey collect for their project

Data Collection - Critical Thinking Data Collection - Critical Thinking ActivitiesActivities

Data Collection - Critical Thinking Data Collection - Critical Thinking ActivitiesActivities

►Outcomes from class – Students must:Outcomes from class – Students must: Build a project with data Build a project with data Create a final map of collected dataCreate a final map of collected data Present contact with map and dataPresent contact with map and data

Data Analysis Data Analysis

►Data collected in the field must be Data collected in the field must be analyzed to come up with usable analyzed to come up with usable information.information.

►A map that is easy to interpret and A map that is easy to interpret and provides the information to assist in a provides the information to assist in a decisiondecision

Data Analysis - Critical Thinking Data Analysis - Critical Thinking ActivitiesActivities

► Agricultural Spatial AnalysisAgricultural Spatial Analysis Develop the ability to create interpretative Develop the ability to create interpretative

maps from which a decision can be made.maps from which a decision can be made. Students are given an example of a technique Students are given an example of a technique

– example, suitability map– example, suitability map The process is demonstrated from question to The process is demonstrated from question to

answeranswer Students then decide if the interpretative Students then decide if the interpretative

technique is appropriate for their problemtechnique is appropriate for their problem Students must develop an example of an Students must develop an example of an

agriculturally related question that could agriculturally related question that could be answered using a suitability mapbe answered using a suitability map

One question is selected and students are One question is selected and students are given the task of answering that question.given the task of answering that question.

Answering the questionAnswering the question

►Once the suitability map has been Once the suitability map has been created, the student must provide an created, the student must provide an oral description (interpretation) of oral description (interpretation) of what it means and provide a what it means and provide a recommendation for implementation recommendation for implementation or a decision.or a decision.

►Student provides an interpretative Student provides an interpretative map and presentation to contactmap and presentation to contact Analysis skillsAnalysis skills Communication skillsCommunication skills

SummarySummary

►GPS and GIS are tools that can be used GPS and GIS are tools that can be used in almost any disciplinein almost any discipline

►GPS and GIS are cool and fun!GPS and GIS are cool and fun!►Critical thinking skills can taught with Critical thinking skills can taught with

GPS and GISGPS and GIS

107 Washington HallKirkwood CC6301 Kirkwood BlvdCedar Rapids, IA 52404(866) 4AGKNOWwww.agknow.org

Terry Brase(319) 398-5458tbrase@kirkwood.eduwww.kirkwood.edu/faculty/tbrase