FOSS4G 2008 Activities

Page owner: Alize

This page is for organising and documenting all non-workshop activities for the morning and afternoon of 3 Oct and other times where available.

=Outreach= !!!!!!Volunteers needed!!!!!!!!!!

Friday morning 3 October 2008

SESSION 1 : Hands-on lab GIS exposure to open source packages

Hands on GIS exposure


 * High School Geography teacher's workshop in Cape Town
 * Marketed through Khanya geography team
 * They will recruit educators to attend the workshop/demo.
 * Our contact : Avis of DoE in the WCape.
 * 2 Labs of 20 People @ schools in Central Cape Town

Suggested options: An activity that the teachers could implement back in their classrooms - some data capturing on the ground, ground-truthing with a pre existing map, and then put into a GIS and produce a maps etc - learners can add to their portfolios. Time: an hour in the field and an hour back in the lab - i.e. a morning.

Ideas to consider and that needs practical feasibility for teacher workshops

1. Map-aware and GPS in an area where basic map skills may be limited.

2. Demos of internet examples for grades 10 - 12 for teachers who don't want to learn GIS but want to know how it is used.

SESSION 2 : An outdoor event for teachers to learn about GPS in the Rondevlei Nature Reserve.

Practical Application of GIS with the natural environment:
 * Life Sciences and geography Teachers; Grades 10-12
 * Contact person : Bronwen Foster (Environmental Education Officer)

The Rondevlei programme is designed to make use of GIS technology by doing something practical in nature. They will work with a GPS, learn to mark and find points, observe wetland bird species in the environment and have a look at data collected previously using GIS software. This is an opportunity to see what how GIS can be applied in real life.


 * GIS is part of the Geography Curriculum
 * Data collection
 * Application of Geographical skills
 * Data analysis
 * Use of Satellite Remote sensing
 * Application of GIS
 * Examining human- environment issues

Friday afternoon 3 October 2008

'''SESSION 1 : Talks with examples from international guest of how GIS is being used in other countries - with demos. '''

Hands on GIS exposure


 * High School Geography teacher's workshop
 * Marketed through ISASA
 * Our contact : John Lanser (HoD Geography - Bishops) and Shawn Lezar
 * 24 PC's available at Bishop
 * The ISASA geography conference has scheduled an open spot in their conference for this.

Suggested options

A hands-on-demo would be great. They have ArcView 3.3 on their computers. We should consider installing and showing something with an open source flavour. Exposure by an international delegate of what’s happening in education elsewhere in the world. Exposure to OS GIS software by means of distributing a CD.

SESSION 2 : UCT workshop for University students and staff


 * Geospatial lab in the Environmental & Geographical Science department @ UCT
 * 16 PC's available / 30 Students
 * 3rd, 4th year students, postgraduate and UCT staff will attend
 * Current software installed on computers: Manifold, may install other software
 * To confirm with Julian Smith from Geomatics department
 * GIS delegates/volunteers to present workshop on Spatial data infrastructure development,web-based GIS, any other suggestions preferably OPEN SOURCE

Still to consider – please give input an ideas

We would also like to organise the following:
 * Public lectures on FOSS GIS given by FOSS GIS delegates. One or more people volunteer to give a flashy lecture and demo at UCT great hall or civic centre, free to the public and well marketed.
 * FOSS GIS workshops for Government officials
 * Install and configure (Ubuntu and) FOSS GIS software stack and data at schools / local municipalities around Cape Town
 * a public talk and demo in a township that's a wow! For all the kids
 * a field mapping or participatory GIS exercise in a township

=Technical Visits=

Monday morning

Option 1 (1.5h visit) leaving 8h00. Back 12h30 ( no additional costs)
 * Houwteq Satellite Integration Facility in Grabouw – Institute for satellite and software application

44 Seater : R 3939 ( Grabouw)Transport 18 Seater : R2375 (Grabouw)Transport

Option 2
 * Chief Directorate: Surveys and Mapping (1.5h visit)(no additional costs)

44 Seater : R 3136 ( Cape Town)Transport 18 Seater : R1843 ( Cape Town)Transport

The following areas will be covered:

- Image Acquisition and Field Surveying , Trignet - permanent GPS base stations , Data Extraction and Manipulation , Geospatial Data Management & Cartographic Production

Friday morning

Option 1 (1.5h visit) leaving 8h00. Back 12h30 ( No additional costs) Available for 22 people 44 Seater : R 3939 ( Grabouw)Transport 18 Seater : R2375 (Grabouw)Transport
 * Houwteq Satellite Integration Facility in Grabouw – Institute for satellite and software application

Option 2 Francois Knight from Agri Informatic will present an interesting presentation on how GIS is used in the wine industry Available for 22 people ( Venue costs of wine farm still to be confirmed, no additional costs for speaker)
 * Wine tasting on wine farm in Grabouw. (1.5h visit) leving 8h00. Back 12h30

44 Seater : R 3939 ( Grabouw)Transport 18 Seater : R2375 (Grabouw)Transport

=Other activities=
 * student competition a la GeoWeb 2008?
 * school competition?