Laboratory for Geographic Analysis Equipment Proposal

高露洁大学地理系的主要教育目标之一是培养学生操纵社会和环境数据以识别模式、建立关系、测试假设和做出管理决策的技能。为了实现这一目标，我们要求学生在我们的几门课程中使用定量数据分析和地图开发等技术，并越来越强调使用Macintosh微型计算机来执行这些任务。虽然这个项目是成功的，但我们认识到了两个重要的弱点。我们的计算机缺乏必要的速度和外围支持来执行地理信息系统(GIS)和高级地图分析应用程序，这两者都是越来越重要的技能。为了克服这些弱点，我们建议建立一个电脑设施，配备两台Macintosh II计算机，以执行与地理信息系统和高级地图开发有关的数值密集型任务，四台较小的Macintosh计算机用于图形增强和更简单的数据分析，以及一些关键的外围设备和软件，用于数据输入、数据处理和产品输出。拟议的套餐不仅可以满足我们对地理信息系统和地图分析的需求，还可以提高我们要求学生在其他课程中应用这些技术的能力。

One of the primary educational goals of the Geography, Department at Colgate University is to develop students technical skills in manipulating social and environmental data to identify patterns, establish relationships, test hypotheses and make management decisions. To achieve this goal, we require students to use techniques, such as quantitative data analysis and map development, in several of our courses and have increasingly stressed the use of Macintosh microcomputers to perform these tasks. Although this program is successful, we recognize two important weaknesses. Our computers lack the necessary speed and peripheral support to perform geographic information systems (GIS) and advanced map analysis applications, both of which are increasingly important skills. To address these weaknesses, we propose to create a computer facility equipped with two Macintosh II computers to perform the numerically intensive tasks associated with GIS and advanced map development, four smaller Macintoshes for graphic enhancement and simpler data analysis and some key peripheral devices and software for data entry, data manipulation and product output. The proposed package will not only meet our GIS and map analysis needs but will improve our capability to require students to apply such techniques in other courses.