Index to Resources: | Bibliography
| Schedule | Examples of Reviews | Syllabbi for past offerings:
1998 | |
This is a research seminar with the broad focus on recent research on the field of GIS and research approaches that assist in studying GIS. This later component has involved increasing emphasis on "Science and Technology Studies" (STS).
In my estimation, a seminar has an interactive role. In part, it should respond to the directions of the graduate students in the course, and in part it should provide a way to position the graduate students in the research community. It always is colored by the instructor's current research direction.
There are many models for successful seminars, but it is often not the model that matters that much. Courses that try to start with "the basics" or some purported "core" set of readings are just an attempt to edit history and install a particular viewpoint. In place of this "core" method, I propose a "backwards" method. We will start with some current paper and figure out who the author is citing and why. Then we will work backwards through the controversies of the past that were resolved (or not).
There have been a rash of articles and books that attempt to position GIS within some philosophical frame of reference. This movement needs to be examined and explained as a way to understand how research scholarship works.
Each student is expected to contribute to the discussion and
to attend regularly.
This seminar will try to contribute to a concern about professional
training by switching from the traditional "paper" format
to a position paper and review writing approach. Each student
will be responsible for writing a "position paper" (maybe
two) and a "review".
These will be used to lead discussion in a particular session
and to lead to commentary and revision.
Version of 9 January 2003