Expansion of geographic information components in the educational programs of cartographers at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

Abstract

The article considers the necessity to make changes in the university curriculum in accordance with the requirements of today. Modern cartography is integrated with GIS and remote sensing and in this context we see the prospect of training experts at universities. GIS education has some specific features that distinguish it from other types of training such as the interdisciplinary nature, a wide range of highly informative software applications, a combination of geographical and engineering knowledge. GIS specialists must have system knowledge and skills in the design, operation and development in this field. Only intensive use of mapping, GIS, geodetic, and photogrammetric knowledge and methods in scientific research and their effective use in the practice of modern production allow the international community to achieve high results. The main directions of educational programs at the Department of Geodesy and Cartography are preservation and further development of the rich heritage of scientific and pedagogical achievements of higher cartographical education in Ukraine; the study and involvement in the educational process of the best achievements of foreign higher education; preparation and updating of scientific and methodological support of educational process; modernization of material and technical basis for the learning process and field training practices; involvement of new professional teaching staff; training of the faculty staff. The demand on mapping courses and related workshops at the Department of Geodesy and Cartography Geography Department is determined by certain factors: the growth of interdisciplinary research involving extensive mapping component; growing of demand for mapping and GIS products from scientific, practical, commercial, and educational institutions; the need to increase productivity in the field of cartography, geoinformatics and adjacent to their fields of study and practice; issues of general improvement of geo-mapping education.