Education & Training

RGIS - Educational Modules, Great Lakes

Methods for Community Engagement

This module is not yet ready for download. Please come back soon for updates!

Questions? Contact:

Steve Ventura, University of Wisconsin
LICGF - University of Wisconsin-Madison
B102 Steenbock Library, 550 Babcock Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Email: sventura@wisc.edu

About This Module

In the last five years, a new approach has emerged and is known as public participation geographic information system (PPGIS). This term is used for any of the many methods used to involve area residents and stakeholders in using geospatial information technologies to participate in decision-making. Involvement includes gaining a better understanding of the issues, recording beliefs and registering preferences, developing scenarios, and predicting potential impacts.

Engagement - getting people interested in and able to use geospatial technologies – is a significant challenge. Through the years, we have experimented with a variety of methods learning which techniques seemed to generate citizen involvement. This module introduces the concepts of PPGIS and provides instruction and examples about a range of methods including:

  • Public forums and charettes
  • Surveys
  • Training and workshops
  • Electronic and interactive town hall meetings
  • Citizen-driven data base development
  • Cognitive mapping
  • “Smart-board” allocation visioning
  • Planning support websites

Module Audience

This module is for planners, facilitators, educators, and anyone else who is interested in engaging citizens and stakeholders in decision-making using geospatial information technologies.

Module Materials & Tools

  • Teaching notes
  • Lectures in Power Point and Adobe PDF
  • Exercises and data
  • ESRI ArcExplorer
  • ESRI ArcReader
  • Site Builder shareable 3D Scenes
  • RGIS Bulletins in PDF
  • Case Studies
  • Bibliography

Module Software & Hardware Needs

  • Microsoft Word or Adobe Reader
  • Microsoft PowerPoint on instructor station
  • Optional - ESRI ArcView 3.2 or ArcGIS
  • Projector
  • PC computers for students with Internet access

For More Information Contact:

Steve Ventura, University of Wisconsin
LICGF - University of Wisconsin-Madison
B102 Steenbock Library, 550 Babcock Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Email: sventura@wisc.edu