Duration: October 16-26, 2025 (11 days)
Due Date: Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM MST
Status: ✅ All materials released
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Welcome to Module 1! This foundational module introduces you to two essential skills for modern GIS professionals: open source software principles and professional version control with Git and GitHub.
You’ll explore the open source GIS ecosystem, learning to evaluate tools and understand licensing decisions that shape how geospatial technology is developed and shared. Simultaneously, you’ll master Git workflows and GitHub collaboration features that are standard practice in professional development environments.
By the end of this module, you’ll understand how open source communities work, why licensing matters, and how to use Git and GitHub to manage projects and collaborate with teams—skills you’ll use throughout this course and in your GIS career.
Why This Matters: Open source tools power much of the modern GIS industry, from QGIS and PostGIS to web mapping libraries like Leaflet. Understanding how to evaluate, contribute to, and collaborate on open source projects opens career opportunities and makes you a more versatile GIS professional.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
All videos are available with slides on the course slides page.
Total Participation Points: 6 points
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Location: GitHub Discussions - Introductions
Introduce yourself to the class! Share your name, background, GIS experience, and what interests you about open source geospatial technology. Respond meaningfully to at least two classmates to start building our learning community.
Duration: 5 minutes
Location: GitHub Discussions - Module 1 Polls
Complete three quick polls about your experience with version control, open source software, and career goals. Your responses help the instructor calibrate instruction and let you see where you stand compared to your peers.
Duration: 25-35 minutes
Location: GitHub Discussions - Module 1 Activity Discussions
Discover the breadth of the open source GIS ecosystem! Complete a poll on tool awareness, then share three tools you’re considering researching for M1A2. This collaborative activity helps you start your research with peer support and crowdsourced resources.
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Location: GitHub Discussions - Module 1 Activity Discussions
Find your partner for the M1A4 collaborative Git assignment. Post to seek a partner or respond to a classmate’s post, then coordinate on team setup. This activity ensures smooth team formation before the collaborative assignment begins.
Total Assignment Points: 42 points
All assignments are accepted through GitHub Classroom and submitted via D2L. See D2L for detailed instructions and submission links.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Submit via: D2L Assignment Folder
Analyze open source licenses through real-world scenarios. Understand the differences between GPL, MIT, Apache, and other licenses, and learn how licensing decisions affect GIS project development and use. This assignment builds your foundation for making informed technology choices in professional contexts.
Skills: License analysis, legal implications, professional decision-making
Duration: 3-4 hours
Submit via: D2L Assignment Folder
Research and analyze three open source GIS projects—one from each category: desktop GIS, database/processing, and web mapping. Use systematic evaluation criteria to compare them with commercial alternatives and assess their community, governance, and licensing.
Skills: Technology evaluation, research methodology, comparative analysis
Duration: 3-4 hours
Submit via: D2L Assignment Folder
Master Git fundamentals and GitHub collaboration features. Create and manage a professional repository, implement GitHub features (issues, projects, documentation), and develop Python scripts using version control. This assignment establishes your GitHub portfolio and cloud development environment foundation.
Skills: Git commands, GitHub features, repository management, portfolio development
Duration: 4-5 hours
Team Assignment: Work with one partner
Submit via: D2L Assignment Folder
Execute advanced Git workflows with a partner, including branching strategies, conflict resolution, and pull request workflows. This team-based assignment simulates professional collaborative development and prepares you for real-world team coordination.
Skills: Branching, merging, conflict resolution, team coordination, code review
This module runs for 11 days with staggered content releases. Here’s a suggested pacing:
Week 1 (Oct 16-20):
Week 2 (Oct 21-26):
All Module 1 work due: Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM MST
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