Advanced Topics in Macro Social Work

GIS, which stands for Geographic Information Systems, is a type of computer based mapping that is becoming increasingly important in social work practice, policy and research. GIS can be thought of as a set of electronic layers that can be placed over each other to create a wide variety of maps. Layers can contain the location of streets, census tracts, agencies, neighborhood residents, satellite imagery and many other kinds of geographic information. Map layers can then be color coded to provide information about the spatial distribution of constructs like neighborhood poverty, or unemployment. The class will begin with a brief discussion of some of the conceptual issues surrounding neighborhood measurement, neighborhood change and neighborhood effects. Much of the class will be spent in a computer lab learning hands on GIS skills. Participants will learn how to search for, access and open geographic data, create appropriately color coded maps with multiple layers of information, and to generate a publication quality map with titles and legend that can be printed out, or posted to the web.