Assesments

Assignment 1:  

1.  Prior to this activity, how would you rank yourself in knowledge about the topic.: 3 I would say that I knew a few techniques to surveying in the field from some of my prior biology courses. 
2. Following this activity, how would you rate the amount of knowledge you have on the topic: after the activity I can say that I have learned a new way of surveying and found out how to input data into a ArcCatolog
3. Did the hands-on approach to this activity add to how much you were able to learn: I would say 5, the activity was a easy way to get quick assessment of what we need to know in the future when surveying 
4. What types of learning strategies would you recommend to make the activity even better? I would suggest a closer area to work in to allow for more elaborate features to be built. With a closer working area it would be easier to preserve the field and work on it over a few days. 

Assignment 2:

1.  Prior to this activity, how would you rank yourself in knowledge about the topic. I would say between prior knowledge and the last assignment I was about a 3 or 4 with knowing types of surveys to conduct.
2. Following this activity, how would you rate the amount of knowledge you have on the topic I would say that I am now a comfortable 4. I now know a few more techniques of surveying and what types of surveys work well in certain situation. Like stratifying works well when you want to depict specific structures. 
3. Did the hands-on approach to this activity add to how much you were able to learn: I agree that hands on training is always a good thing to have although I feel it was a little redundant to the first Assignment and may not be needed. 
4. What types of learning strategies would you recommend to make the activity even better? I am not sure how I feel about a second week of collection I know that it was very helpful to see more precision with the second survey but I feel the assignments were very redundant and may not be needed

Assignment 3: 

1. Before embarking on this interesting activity I held little to no knowledge of survey methods that did not require some sort of electronical geospatial equipment like a GPS or tools of that nature. I would have rated myself as a 1 or 2.
2. After we have completed the task and I have witnessed both the benefits and the challenges with other forms of surveying I can now say with confidence I have acquired a new tool in my arsenal to complete any task given to me. With both the field work and the stories of past efforts with such sorts of collection I now have a better understanding of when such application is best to use methods like these and I also know now how appreciative we should be to have such easy access to wonderful technology.
3. The hands on approach of the assignment has allowed me to grow as a human and see that there is always a way to accomplish a task even if you have to "kick it old school" and go back to the reliable surveying methods that have been around for so many years to collect all your points you need.
4. I would have to say it would have been nice to have an actual objective with this assignment rather than a broad collection of useless data points. You could potentially make this into a contest and have predetermined points that are not accessible with true GPS then have the entire class collect the points to see who can be most accurate with the display overlay.

Assignment 4:

1. prior to making the two maps I would rate my self about a 3 on map making ability for I am capable from previous GIS classes to display and read a basic map. I knew some what of cartography rules on how to layout a map to make it neat and clean.
2. After the activity I can now say I am about a 4 for I now have the ability of adding grid lines to my map and I am now aware of a few more cartography rules like displaying scale bars that included absolute distance.
3. Working in a group with the other members gave me a lot of help since they have passed higher level classes of GIS and new how o maneuver through some of the set up processes and they also showed me what aspects of the properties to focus most of my attention on.
4. I liked this activity because it was a nice break from the typical week of going into the field collecting data points and having to display our collection.

Assignment 5:

1.Previous to this assignment I have never had any experience with having to navigate directly to a point with exact measurements. However, since I was a young child I have been walking directionally through the woods with a target in mind like reaching my deer stand or finding my grandfather on the other side of a tag alter swamp. But since I have never had to walk a straight line or keep track of my pace count I would rate myself a 2 in directional navigation.
2. After the activity I would only rate myself a 3 for although I gained knowledge of how to accomplish navigation with a map and compass I would still rate our groups performance low since we never successfully walked directly to the target we could get within the general area but then have to roam around and visually find the tree.
3. The field work was very helpful for it showed how difficult this activity can be. Although you have all of these exact directions and pace counts you need to follow walking through the woods is never that forgiving. There is obstacles constantly in the way you can easily stray form the azimuth that one needs and the pace count varies depending on the terrain one is walking on. With these reasons in mind it makes the activity almost impossible to follow directly from the directions.
4. The activity was a great simple activity for the entire class o do together and to learn quickly on the challenges of compass navigation. It was also very eye opening in showing each one of us how long one needs to practice to truly be effective at this form of navigation.