Did you know about the origins of GIS

It’s fascinating how the concept of GIS has evolved since the 1960s. The first early GIS system, called Canada Geographic Information System, was developed by Roger Tomlinson. I love sharing this bit of history with my students to help them appreciate the technology they’re using today.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‌​⁠​​‌⁠‍‌​⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‌‌⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​⁠‍‌‌​‍​⁠​⁠‌‌​‌‌⁠​​‌​​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s amazing how GIS has transformed since those early days… One practical tip I share with students is to always think about the data source’s reliability when working on projects. As Roger Tomlinson emphasized, understanding the origins can really enhance the context of your work.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‍‌​​‌‌​⁠‌‌⁠​​‌‌​‌‌⁠‌​​⁠​‌‌​‍⁠‌⁠​‍‌‌​‍‌‌​‌​⁠‍‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

And i often tell my students about the importance of metadata, just like how Roger Tomlinson’s work laid the foundation. It really enhances their understanding of GIS tools. Anyone else emphasize this in class?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​‌‌‍‍​‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌⁠‌​⁠‌‌​​‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍​​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​