SYLLABUS TRAINING GIS FUNDAMENTALS USING ARCGIS OR QGIS

 

GIS FUNDAMENTALS

Purnama Academy 0838-0838-0001

3-Day Training Program

Venue : Jakarta, Bandung, Yogya 

Duration: 3 Days
Level: Fundamental / Beginner
Training Approach: Concept-Based Learning + Hands-on Practice
Practical Software: ArcGIS or QGIS
Language: English

 

1. TRAINING DESCRIPTION

This training provides participants with a fundamental understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including spatial data, coordinate systems, data management, cartography, spatial queries, and fundamental spatial analysis.

The course is designed to be concept-oriented rather than software-oriented. Participants will first understand the principles and analytical concepts behind GIS and will then apply those concepts through hands-on exercises using ArcGIS or QGIS.

The practical sessions are directly aligned with the concepts discussed in each module. This approach enables participants to understand not only how to operate GIS software, but also why, when, and how GIS techniques should be applied to real-world spatial problems.

The training concludes with an integrated case study in which participants apply a complete GIS workflow, from problem definition and data preparation through spatial analysis, visualization, interpretation, and reporting.

 

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the fundamental concepts, components, and applications of GIS.
2. Understand the characteristics and applications of vector and raster spatial data.
3. Understand geographic coordinates, coordinate reference systems, datums, and map projections.
4. Identify common spatial data quality issues and understand basic GIS data management principles.
5. Prepare and organize spatial and attribute data for analysis.
6. Apply fundamental principles of cartography and thematic map design.
7. Perform basic attribute and spatial queries.
8. Apply fundamental spatial analysis techniques, including buffering, overlay, proximity, and spatial selection.
9. Understand the basic concepts of raster-based analysis and suitability analysis.
10. Develop a logical GIS workflow from problem definition to final output.
11. Interpret and communicate spatial analysis results.
12. Apply fundamental GIS concepts to practical geographic and organizational problems.

 

3. TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This training is suitable for:

• GIS beginners and new GIS users
• Staff involved in geographic or location-based information
• Surveying and mapping personnel
• Planning and development professionals
• Engineering and infrastructure professionals
• Environmental and natural resource professionals
• Project managers and analysts
• Government and public-sector personnel
• Researchers and academic staff
• Business analysts who work with location-based information
• Professionals who need to understand GIS for decision making

 

4. PARTICIPANTS BACKGROUND

Participants are expected to have:

• Basic computer literacy
• Basic understanding of maps and geographic information
• General familiarity with tables, spreadsheets, or structured data
• An interest in working with geographic or location-based information

No previous GIS experience is required.

Participants with previous exposure to ArcGIS, QGIS, GPS, surveying, mapping, or spatial data may also attend the course. Their existing experience will be used as a foundation for understanding the concepts more deeply.

 

5. PREREQUISITES

There are no formal GIS prerequisites for this course.

Participants should have:

• Basic computer operation skills
• Basic file and folder management skills
• Basic understanding of maps and locations
• Basic ability to work with tabular data

Basic spreadsheet knowledge is recommended but not mandatory.

Participants do not need prior experience with ArcGIS or QGIS.

 

6. TRAINING METHODOLOGY

The course combines conceptual learning with practical application:

• Conceptual Presentation
• Instructor Demonstration
• Guided Hands-on Exercises
• Spatial Data Exploration
• Practical Exercises
• Case-Based Learning
• Group Discussion
• Problem-Based Spatial Analysis
• Final Integrated Case Study

The training emphasizes GIS concepts, spatial thinking, analytical reasoning, and practical application, rather than teaching a sequence of software commands.

 

7. COURSE OUTLINE

DAY 1 — GIS FUNDAMENTALS AND SPATIAL DATA

Module 1 — Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

Topics:

• What is GIS?
• GIS as a framework for spatial information
• Components of GIS
• People
• Data
• Methods
• Technology
• GIS and spatial thinking
• GIS applications across industries
• GIS in organizational decision making
• Examples of real-world GIS applications

Practical Session — Exploring a GIS Environment

Participants will:

• Open a GIS project
• Explore a map interface
• Identify spatial layers
• Navigate geographic information
• Examine geographic features
• Understand the relationship between maps, layers, and data

 

Module 2 — Understanding Spatial Data

Topics:

• What is spatial data?
• Geographic features and locations
• Spatial versus non-spatial information
• Vector data
• Point
• Line
• Polygon
• Raster data
• Cells and grids
• Raster values
• Attribute data
• Spatial relationships
• Examples of spatial datasets

Practical Session — Exploring Spatial Data

Participants will:

• Explore point, line, and polygon datasets
• Examine attribute tables
• Explore raster datasets
• Compare vector and raster representations
• Identify relationships between spatial and attribute information

 

Module 3 — Coordinate Reference Systems and Map Projections

Topics:

• Geographic coordinates
• Latitude and longitude
• Geographic Coordinate Systems
• Projected Coordinate Systems
• Datums
• Map projections
• Coordinate Reference Systems
• Why coordinate systems matter
• Common coordinate system problems

Practical Session — Working with Coordinate Systems

Participants will:

• Identify the coordinate system of datasets
• Examine spatial reference information
• Display datasets using different coordinate systems
• Identify potential coordinate system mismatches
• Understand the practical implications of projection differences

 

Module 4 — GIS Data Quality and Metadata

Topics:

• Sources of spatial data
• Primary and secondary spatial data
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Completeness
• Consistency
• Currency
• Spatial resolution
• Metadata
• Common GIS data quality problems

Practical Session — Spatial Data Quality Check

Participants will:

• Inspect dataset properties
• Examine attribute information
• Review available metadata
• Identify missing or inconsistent information
• Perform a basic spatial data quality assessment

 

DAY 2 — DATA MANAGEMENT, CARTOGRAPHY AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Module 5 — Spatial Data Management and Preparation

Topics:

• GIS data organization
• Layers and datasets
• Attribute tables
• Fields and records
• Data types
• Spatial feature editing
• Attribute editing
• Data preparation
• Data integration
• Data conversion concepts

Practical Session — Preparing a GIS Dataset

Participants will:

• Organize spatial datasets
• Examine and edit attribute information
• Add or modify spatial features
• Prepare data for subsequent analysis

 

Module 6 — Cartography and Spatial Data Visualization

Topics:

• Principles of cartographic communication
• Visual hierarchy
• Symbology
• Categories and quantitative data
• Data classification
• Labels and annotation
• Map scale
• Map elements
• Legend
• Scale bar
• North arrow
• Map title
• Data source
• Principles of effective map design

Practical Session — Creating a Thematic Map

Participants will:

• Apply appropriate symbology
• Classify quantitative data
• Create a thematic map
• Add labels and map elements
• Produce a clear and informative map

 

Module 7 — Spatial Queries and Selection

Topics:

• Attribute queries
• Spatial queries
• Location-based selection
• Spatial relationships
• Intersect
• Within
• Containment
• Proximity
• Distance-based selection
• Filtering geographic information

Practical Session — Querying Spatial Information

Participants will perform tasks such as:

• Identifying facilities within a defined area
• Selecting locations based on attribute criteria
• Identifying features within a specified distance
• Finding features that intersect another geographic area

 

Module 8 — Fundamental Spatial Analysis

Topics:

• What is spatial analysis?
• Spatial patterns and relationships
• Proximity analysis
• Buffer analysis
• Overlay analysis
• Intersection
• Spatial aggregation
• Distance analysis
• Area measurement
• Fundamental suitability analysis

Practical Session — Basic Spatial Analysis

Participants will apply:

• Buffer analysis
• Overlay analysis
• Intersect analysis
• Proximity analysis
• Spatial selection
• Basic distance and area calculations

 

DAY 3 — SPATIAL DECISION MAKING AND INTEGRATED GIS WORKFLOW

Module 9 — Raster Data and Analysis

Topics:

• Understanding raster data
• Raster cells and values
• Continuous and categorical data
• Raster data applications
• Elevation and terrain data
• Raster analysis concepts
• Reclassification
• Raster overlay
• Suitability analysis
• Advantages and limitations of raster analysis

Practical Session — Basic Raster Analysis

Participants will:

• Explore raster datasets
• Examine raster values
• Perform basic raster classification
• Apply simple raster-based analysis
• Interpret resulting spatial patterns

 

Module 10 — GIS for Decision Making

Topics:

• From business problems to spatial problems
• Defining spatial analysis objectives
• Identifying required datasets
• Data preparation
• Selecting appropriate analytical methods
• Combining multiple spatial criteria
• Spatial decision-making concepts
• Interpreting analytical results
• Assumptions and limitations

Practical Session — Site Suitability Analysis

Participants will evaluate potential locations based on selected criteria, such as:

• Distance from roads
• Distance from existing facilities
• Land-use characteristics
• Administrative boundaries
• Population or demographic information
• Other relevant spatial criteria

The exercise focuses on the analytical reasoning behind suitability analysis, rather than on a particular GIS software product.

 

Module 11 — End-to-End GIS Workflow

Topics:

• Problem definition
• Data acquisition
• Data preparation
• Coordinate system selection
• Data management
• Spatial analysis
• Visualization
• Quality checking
• Interpretation
• Reporting and communication

Practical Session — Complete GIS Workflow

Participants will apply the following workflow:

Problem Definition → Data Acquisition → Data Preparation → Spatial Analysis → Visualization → Quality Check → Interpretation → Reporting

 

Module 12 — Final Integrated Case Study

Case Study: GIS-Based Spatial Analysis

Participants will complete an integrated practical exercise combining the concepts covered throughout the training.

Activities:

• Define the spatial problem
• Identify required datasets
• Prepare spatial data
• Check coordinate reference systems
• Explore attribute information
• Perform spatial queries
• Conduct spatial analysis
• Create thematic maps
• Interpret analytical results
• Present findings

Expected Output:

• A structured GIS project
• Prepared spatial datasets
• Spatial analysis results
• A thematic map
• A short interpretation of findings
• A basic GIS-based recommendation supported by spatial evidence

 

8. SOFTWARE USED FOR PRACTICAL SESSIONS

The course is software-independent.

Hands-on exercises may be conducted using either:

• ArcGIS
• QGIS

The software is used as a practical environment to demonstrate and apply the GIS concepts covered in the training.

The syllabus does not depend on specific software menus, commands, or proprietary features. Therefore, the fundamental knowledge gained from the training can be transferred to different GIS platforms.

 

9. TRAINING OUTCOME

Upon completion of the program, participants will have a solid foundation in GIS concepts and will be able to understand, prepare, visualize, analyze, and interpret spatial information using a structured GIS workflow.

Participants will also have practical experience applying fundamental GIS concepts using ArcGIS or QGIS to solve basic spatial problems.