The Digital Earth

Code School Level Credits Semesters
GEOG1023 School of Geographical Sciences 1 10 Spring China
Code
GEOG1023
School
School of Geographical Sciences
Level
1
Credits
10
Semesters
Spring China

Summary

This module considers: 
1. The nature of Digital Earth and Big Earth Data
2. Sources of Big Earth Data
3. Acquisition and processing of Big Earth Data
4. Applications of Digital Earth
5. Future trends in Digital Earth

Target Students

Students registered on the Environmental Science programme at The University of Nottingham Ningbo, China.

Classes

ctivities may take place every teaching week of the Semester or only in specified weeks. It is usually specified above if an activity only takes place in some weeks of a Semester

Assessment

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

To raise awareness of the increasing importance of digital geographic information in monitoring and modelling the environment. Students will develop a critical appreciation of the role of technologies such as digital globes (e.g., Google Earth), Earth observation, social sensing tech, digital modelling and geospatial visualization and gain awareness of the wide range of datasets, at a range of scales, that are available to help us tackle environmental issues. Case studies will be taken from application domains.

Learning Outcomes

A.            Knowledge and understanding. The student will be able to:

•             appreciate the breadth of application of digital geographic information in monitoring and modelling the environment;

•             develop an understanding of the range of available digital geographical data and appreciate some of the benefits but also pitfalls of their use;

•             understand the processes involved in the collection and creation of different types of digital geographic information;

•             understanding the capabilities and wider implications of new web-based forms of disseminating digital geographic information and advances in Earth Observation

 

B.            Intellectual skills. The student will be able to:

•             assess the fitness-for-purpose of at least one digital geographic dataset in the context of at least one environmental application;

•             evaluate the capability of digital Earth technology to support at least one environmental science application.

 

C.            Professional practical skills. The student will be able to:

•             explore the capabilities of a digital globe;

•             use remotely sensed data with a GIS and a cloud-based platform such as Google Earth Engine;

•             handle a range of digital geographic information.

 

D.            Transferable skills. The student will be able to:

•             Integrating data within applications

•             demonstrate digital literacy in the context of digital geographic information and environmental science;

•             critically evaluate data, techniques and technologies in the context of digital geographic information and environmental science.

•             scope solutions given range of data and technical options

Conveners

View in Curriculum Catalogue
Last updated 09/01/2025.