NIGK14011U Human Movement in Urban and Rural Landscapes

Volume 2014/2015
Content

Movement of individual humans beings can be assessed and measured by means of a number of techniques including GPS, automatic counting station, video tracking, questionnaires/interviews and visual in-street surveying. While these technologies for registration are developing at a high pace and made available to planning authorities and consultants, the way data is handled, analyzed, and presented – in particular in relation to GIS - still need further attention.

During the course movement will be addressed both in terms of

a) individual’s spatial actions, preferences and whereabouts

b) extent of use (e.g. visitor loads) of places distributed in time and space

c) or by means of aggregated approaches, e.g. in relation to accessibility/mobility.

Even though the methodological focus will be on digital approaches to spatial/temporal analysis and visualization, both digital and analog/visual methods will be involved. Digital techniques will include vector GIS (involving digital networks), raster GIS and Agent Based simulation.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge: After concluding the course students will be be aware of present techniques used to collect, analyze, interpret, understand, and present data about human’s movement in urban and natural spaces.

Skills: Students will be equipped to comprehend the theoretic foundation of human perception and cognition of spatial knowledge as required for navigation and movement. Further students will be able to - in technical/practical terms - carry out and conduct related data collection, analysis, and presentation.

Competences: Students will be able to design and perform collection of data about human movement, analyze data, display and report results, and apply the achieved knowledge to actual planning and design tasks. Knowledge includes both information obtained though surveying and analysis carried out by the student/prefessionel him-/herself and received from other sources - for instance as conducted by external consultants.

Even though a comprehensive knowledge base covering the entire topical domain of the course is expected, students are encouraged to foucus on particular topics and techniques as found feasible in relation to their present study programmes and project assignments.

Gimblett, R.H. and Skov-Petersen, H. (eds). 2008. Monitoring, Simulation and Management of Visitor Landscapes. The University of Arizona Press. 452 p. Will be provided for free as PDF.

Jan Gehl and Birgitte Svarre. 2013. How to Study Public Life - Methods in Urban Design. Publisher: Island Press, USA. Approximately 50 US§

Compendium (approximately 150 DKR). Including

  • Montello, D., R. 2005. Navigation. In Shah,P., Miyake, A. (eds). The Cambridge handbook of visuospatial thinking. (pp. 257-294). NY: Cambridge university press.
  • Golledge, R. Human wayfinding and cognitive maps (pp.5-46). In Golledge,1999. Wayfinding Behavior: Cognitive Mapping and Other Spatial Processes
  • Skov-Petersen, H. A family of accessibility indicators.
  • A serties of articles based on results from the bikeability project (www.bikeability.dk)
  • ... and more
A basic but operational level in Geographical Information System (preferably ArcGIS or QGIS) data handling, analysis and presentation or similar.
The course will include:
a) Lectures on principles, theories, methods, and applications in relation to relevant technologie
b) Fieldwork involving both digital and visual surveying techniques : GPS, counting stations, and visual registration
c) Analysis and interpretation of data (including results from fieldwork and existing datasets from larger surveys, social networks, and other types of ‘big data’) by means of GIS analysis (e.g. network analysis) and Agent based simulation
d) Project work
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 10
  • Exercises
  • 72
  • Lectures
  • 24
  • Project work
  • 100
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 15 min
Oral examination is based on assignment and course literature. Discussion of the assignment and other questions count equally.
Exam registration requirements
Student presentation, exercise and assignment conducted succesfully
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Criteria for exam assesment

The student has to prove capability to independently design, discuss and carry out registration, analysis, presentation and application of human movement at both individual and aggregated level. Further also an understanding of implications in relation to physical planning and design tasks and challenges has to be comprehended and communicated.