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\begin{article}

\title{Summer Training Courses on FOSS4G, 2007-2009}


\author{Jos Van Orshoven, Rafal Wawer}
\date{}
\maketitle
With support of the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) through
its Short Training Initiative programme, the Spatial Applications
Division of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium (SADL\slash K.U.Leuven)
has repeatedly offered two-week training sessions on the application
of FOSS4G for processing and sharing of geospatial data in the context
of land evaluation and land use planning. The initiatives were conducted
during the summers of 2007, 2008 and 2009, and were oriented towards
participants from developing countries. 


\section{Objectives}

The summer courses were designed to help participants to:
\begin{itemize}
\item evaluate the potential of (F)OSS4G for the disciplines of physical
land evaluation and land use planning;
\item identify strong and weak points of FOSS4G-solutions and ways to handle
them;
\item acquire hands-on experience with Quantum-GIS and GRASS-software (2007--2009) and with related FOSS4G like PostgreSQL\slash PostGIS and R (2009
only); 
\item learn about the principles of OGC web mapping services (2008 and 2009);
\item learn to work with MapServer and web clients: ka-map! and Chameleon
(2008 and 2009); and
\item learn about the technical components of Spatial Data Infrastructures
(2009).
\end{itemize}
In addition, the courses were meant to provide a theoretical background
regarding:
\begin{itemize}
\item the evolving concepts of physical land evaluation;
\item the concepts and functionality of Geographic Information Systems;
\item the principles of earth remote sensing for acquisition of land-related
data for further processing in GIS.
\item the concepts of Spatial Data Infrastructures and the European INSPIRE
Directive.
\end{itemize}
The programmes were conceived in a `Train the Trainer' spirit. An
important objective was to motivate and help the participants to further
spread the knowledge and skills gained.


\section{Targeted participants, and venue}

To be eligible, participants were required to have a background in
the management and\slash or planning of natural resources (soil, water,
vegetation, climate). They had to be familiar with maps and PC\textquoteright{}s,
and GIS was not completely new to them. They were current or future
professionals or researchers dealing with rural development and planning.
They had the ambition to play a leading role within their current
and\slash or future organisations regarding education and training in land
evaluation and land use planning, GIS and earth remote sensing. The
training location was the Geo-Institute of the Katholieke Universiteit
Leuven (Figure 1).

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\begin{figure}[htbp]
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{events/OrshovenWawer_summercourse/166_figures/figure1.png}\caption{Geo-Institute of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven}
\end{figure}



\section{Practical arrangements and fees}

Participation was free for VLIR-UOS scholars. Scholarship also included
travel and accommodation costs. 500EUR was charged to other participants
from developing countries (according to the OESO\slash DAC list used by
VLIR-UOS) and 2420 EUR for other participants.

Campus accommodation was made available for all participants from
developing countries. For scholars flights were booked and delivered
by the organizers. Insurance for the duration of the course was also
included for this group.


\subsection{Some facts and figures }

In 2007 the course was attended by 19 people from 14 countries: Belgium,
Cameroon, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Philippines,
Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia. Table \ref{orshoven:c2007} summarizes the
course modules that year.

%

\begin{table*}
\begin{center}
{\footnotesize
\begin{tabular}{|l|p{0.4\textwidth}|p{0.4\textwidth}|}
\hline 
Week & Module & Subtopics\\
\hline 
1 & Concepts, functionalities \& land databases; sources of spatial data;
evaluation applications of GIS;Illustrations \& hands-on exercises using GRASS for Windows &
Land evaluation process; need for spatial
data and processing in land evaluation;
GIS as information system; GIS as
technology; FOSS4G vs. proprietary
geomatics software; spatial data modelling \& databases; sources of spatial data; query and presentation; GIS data input;
geographic reference systems \&  coordinate transformations; topology \& 
spatial analysis; producing maps;
integration exercise; terrain modelling \& surface analysis; SDIs\\
\hline 
2 & 
Concepts, functionalities \& applications of earth remote sensing \& image processing
in the context of land evaluation with GIS; Illustrations \& hands-on exercises using 
GRASS for Windows &
What is earth remote sensing?; electromagnetic radiation; platforms \& 
sensors for earth remote sensing;
image visualization, preprocessing,
enhancement, \& transformation; 
classification; integration \& processing
of images in GIS; extended integration 
exercise; land cover and land use
change detection; extended RS exercise;
image processing \& GIS\\                    
\hline
\end{tabular}}

\caption{Course programme in 2007}
\label{orshoven:c2007}
\end{center}
\end{table*}


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\begin{figure}

\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{events/OrshovenWawer_summercourse/166_figures/figure2.png}\caption{Participants at the workshop, 2007}
\end{figure}

The participants were chosen among 55 submitted applications. Most
of the participants had strong background in research and engineering
within the fields of environmental and agricultural applications,
as well as in civil engineering. Through a questionnaire the participants
gave a very positive feedback, proving the course materials and scheme
to be very effective and suited to the participants need and expectations.
However there were also a few critical opinions pointing at the lack
of advanced training, especially on software programming issues. 

%
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{events/OrshovenWawer_summercourse/166_figures/figure3.png}\caption{Mobile participants}
\end{figure}


%
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{events/OrshovenWawer_summercourse/166_figures/figure4.png}\caption{2008 Participants}
\end{figure}


In 2008, 2 extra modules were added. The course included new material
on programming and the evaluation of FOSS4G software, OSS licensing
issues and OSS business models. A theoretical and practical introduction
to OGC WMS and WFS and their implementation in FOSS4G software was
also added. Table \ref{orshoven:c2008} summarizes the 2008 course. The 2008 course was
attended by 25 participants from 15 countries: Bangladesh, Belgium,
Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines,
Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

%

\begin{table*}
\begin{center}
{\footnotesize
\begin{tabular}{|l|p{0.3\textwidth}|p{0.5\textwidth}|}
\hline
Week & Module & Subtopics\\
\hline
\multirow{2}{*}{1} & QGIS \& its GRASS plugin as a FOSS4G tool for land evaluation \& land use planning; Concepts \& functions of Geographic Information Systems &
Intro: land evaluation, geomatics, FOSS4G; GIS as information system \& technology; finding, downloading \& installing QGIS; QGIS \& the Tabacay dataset; FOSS4G resources; modelling geographic reality with GIS; Tabacay database as model of geographic reality; viewing, query \& mapping with QGIS \& GRASS plugin; GIS as viewing\slash mapping system; coordinate reference systems; QGIS coordinate management; WMS \& WFS in SDI context; QGIS as V\slash M system; Input of data into a gDB; GRASS database, locations \& mapsets; editing \& 
creating geodatasets with QGIS\slash GRASS; structures for vector geodatasets; analysis of geodatasets; analysis with QGIS GRASS plugin; input, structure, transformation \& management in QGIS\slash GRASS; land evaluation for land use planning; terrain modelling; construction \& analysis of terrain models with QGIS GRASS plugin; analytical capabilities of QGIS\slash GRASS; receiving\slash providing QGIS help\slash support \\
\cline{2-3}
  & Introduction to Quantum GIS customization & Core plugins: visualization, graticules, GPS, georeferencer\\
\cline{1-1}\cline{3-3}
\multirow{3}{*}{2}  &  & Core plugins: MapServer export; Intro to programming with Python\\
\cline{2-3}
  &GRASS as a FOSS4G tool to integrate remotely sensed imagery \& land use planning; Basics of earth remote sensing \& image processing  & 
Basics of earth remote sensing; analytical capabilities of QGIS/GRASS; introduction to GRASS; finding, downloading \& installing WinGRASS; image visualization; starting with GRASS; import/export from/slash to GRASS; image viewing \& preprocessing; enhancement; classification; GRASS image processing; free image data sources; advanced integrated exercise; graduate study possibilities
\\
\cline{2-3}
  &Evaluating FOSS4G software projects   & Methods for evaluation; evaluating QGIS; CASCADOSS FOSS4G evaluation results; FOSS4G licensing issues; contents of KOI DVD \\
\hline
\end{tabular}}

\caption{Course programme, 2008}
\label{orshoven:c2008}
\end{center}
\end{table*}

The most recent edition, conducted in 2009, put more emphasis on Spatial
Data Infrastructures, introducing both theoretical and practical background,
giving aspects of European regulation (INSPIRE Directive), as well
as practical hands-on exercises managing databases and setting view
and download services. Table \ref{orshoven:c2009} summarizes the 2009 offerings. The
2009 edition was attended by 21 participants, coming from 12 countries:
Belgium, Bolivia, Cambodia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya,
Peru, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In 2009 VLIR-UOS changed the list
of developing and low-income countries, eligible for scholarships,
which was reflected in the decrease of the countries represented in
our course.

%
\begin{table*}
\begin{center}
{\footnotesize
\begin{tabular}{|l|p{0.3\textwidth}|p{0.5\textwidth}|}
\hline 
Week & Module & Subtopics\\
\hline 
1 & FOSS4G tools for processing geospatial data in the context of land evaluation and land use planning & Welcome, getting started; Intro to land evaluation, geomatics \& FOSS4G; GIS: information system \& technology; modelling geographic reality with GIS; finding, downloading \& installing QGIS; first experience with QGIS \& Tabacay geospatial database; GIS as a viewing/mapping system; coordinate reference systems; viewing, query \& mapping with QGIS and GRASS plugin; QGIS coordinate management; structures for vector geodatasets; analysis of geodatasets; analysis with QGIS GRASS plugin; terrain modelling; construction \& analysis of terrain models with QGIS GRASS plugin; finding, downloading \& installing R statistics software; integrated exercises with QGIS, GRASS plugin \& R; input of data into a gDB; editing \& creating geodatasets with QGIS/GRASS; QGIS-plugins; receiving/providing help/support regarding QGIS; QGIS as V/M system; input, structure, transformation \& management capabilities of QGIS; analytical capabilities of QGIS; earth remote sensing; introduction to GRASS; finding, downloading \& installing GRASS; first experiences with GRASS
\\
\hline

2 & FOSS4G tools for sharing geospatial data & Sharing geospatial data with SDIs; SDI services for sharing; concepts \& exercises of metadata services, webmapping services, and web feature services; object-relational database management systems (ORDBMS) to improve accessibility of geospatial data in multi-user environments; PostgreSQL / PostGIS as a FOSS ORDBMS; grad study opportunities; documentation \& evaluation of FOSS4G solutions; business models for FOSS; FOSS licenses\\
\hline
\end{tabular}}

%\setcounter{table}{2}
\caption{Course programme, 2009}
\label{orshoven:c2009}
\end{center}
\end{table*}


\section{Final remarks}

We have provided participants of our courses with several questionnaires,
starting from so called {}``zero measurement'', where we assessed
the knowledge and skill in ICT, GIS, RS, SDI of our participants at
the beginning of the course. Zero measurement was followed by evaluation
questionnaires for the modules as well as evaluation of the whole
course, where we emphasized the future plans for further use of the
software and dissemination of the materials. Then we sent additional
questionnaires, some 6 months after the course, asking about the actual
use of the materials and software in the daily professional tasks
of the participants. The results from 2007 and 2008 assessments, compared
to our previous courses, where commercial and closed software was
used, were presented during AGILE conference in 2009 and are published
in the proceedings:

Van Orshoven, J., R. Wawer and K. Duytschaever, 2009. Effectiveness
of a train-the-trainer initiative dealing with free and open source
software for geomatics. CD-ROM-proceedings (J.-H. Haunert, B. Kieler,
and J. Milde, eds. (2009)) of the 12th AGILE International Conference
on Geographic Information Science (2009), Hannover, Germany, 2--5 June 2009,
IKG, Leibnitz Universit\"{a}t, ISBN 2073-8013.

The paper is also available on the AGILE 2009 website: \url{http://www.ikg.uni-hannover.de/agile/fileadmin/agile/paper/136.pdf} 

\address{Jos Van Orshoven \\ Rafal Wawer}

\end{article}


