Overview

This project expanded upon an earlier geographic information systems (GIS) workshop presented in February of 2002. Experience in previous IPM CRSP GIS workshops has shown that GIS skills become more firmly entrenched when participants are provided opportunities to expand basic introductory knowledge into serviceable skills focused on their own research data. To this end, we offered an advanced ArcView GIS session with both selected participants from the initial workshop as well as individuals who did not attend the initial session but demonstrated sufficient exposure to GIS tools and concepts. Eight Makerere University agriculture students participated in the session which were held from 14 to 18 July, 2003. The workshop emphasized intensive individual tutoring rather than instruction in a group environment and required participants to prepare their own GIS projects ahead of time. Through correspondence prior to the sessions and initial meetings with the instructor (Roberts) the agenda for the workshop sessions was dictated in large part by the participants. The response to this format was positive, and most students made considerable progress in addressing their specific spatial problems. While students made significant improvements in their understanding and use of GIS, it was again evident that the workshop duration was insufficient to cover all issues the group presented. This further illustrates the importance of continued support and encouragement in this area. In addition to instruction, three additional copies of ArcView GIS were installed on Makerere computers. Software tools used in working with global positioning systems (GPS) and GIS add-ons were provided as part of the workshop. An addition a GPS receiver was left at Makerere University to supplement the three from the previous workshop.