International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B2. Istanbul 2004
The contribution of this work is to show a real implementation
example and thus to share such experience with others.
Therefore, summary and discussion of the built GIS data-model
for school mapping planning application in Jordan is presented.
Most importantly, presentation of the GIS implementation
examples as a major role player in the educational decision
support process to assist decision-makers in either expanding
current school or suggesting sites for new schools in Jordan.
This will be used eventually, once all statistical data are
available, for student and resources location/allocation. The
design of the Educational Decision Support System (EDSS) for
Ministry of Education, Jordan, will combine Geospatial
database and EMIS database with modeling techniques to
support problem-specific semi-structured decisions while
allowing the decision makers to use their experience and
insight. It is important, to illustrate the importance and
usefulness of using Geo-Imagery (Ikonos data) to help in
managing, resolve error-checking and assist in integrating large
and small-scale vector data format with the current GIS-data-
model for school mapping planning purposes.
A status report of the existing uses of the model, the model
development stages and the EDSS strategies is given together
with an outlook of expected future uses as an Educational
Decision Support System for planning purposes. The paper
concludes on the future strategy in implementing the
decentralizing process of the Decision Support System between
Educational Directorates for data updates and usage.
2. SCHOOL MAPPING AND DECISION SUPPORT
SYSTEM
2.1 Introduction
School mapping is the art and science of building geospatial
databases with relational databases of educational,
demographic, social and economic information for schools and
educational directorates to support educational planners and
decision makers.
In order to do proper planning, the educational sector should not
start any project before making available to all involved parties
a comprehensive database of all schools, pupils, teachers and
resources. Building that part of GIS layers with showing school
locations and other significant geographic features such as
streets, railroads, city-zoning, school-directorates, sub-districts,
districts, governorates and other features would provide an
excellent tool for planners. For example, school mapping was
utilized in Jordan to approve proposal (ERfKE proposal 2002)
for constructing new schools and/or renovating existing
schools. Also, it is very important to build the management
capacity and the staff in general to be capable of utilizing such
technology as it is an ongoing process. Furthermore, the data
has to be updated regularly.
On the other hand, experts are of major importance to train and
guide, and can be considered as a link between the geospatial
database, the stakeholders who are managing and/or using the
data. Their major role is to ensure an efficient use of available
data, models, developed software and the basic theoretical
knowledge. Doing this, will make Education Decision Support
Systems usable and applicable, and at the same time, will make
the Decision makers creative to ensure alternative solutions as
they who really knows the reality and what is considered
applicable solution.
This paper put focus on our very interesting and demanding
project, as it is very useful to share and communicate such
experience with others. Since, this is a leading and emerging
technology in our fast evolving era of technology and economy
reform. Thus the know-how and implementation strategies are
our continuous seck towards improving our practices and
quality of life. In fact, in year 2002, the Ministry of Education
were preparing a major educational reform proposal to be
approved and launched in year 2003 titled *EDUCATION
REFORM FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY:
PROJECT PROPOSAL”, which represents a landmark step in
the progress of change in education in Jordan (ERfKE 2002).
Four initiatives constitute four components. Components one
and three are related to this work. Component one is about
reorientation of education policy objectives and strategy
through governance and administrative reform, part of it is to
build a suitable Education Decision Support System.
Component three is about support provision of quality physical
learning environments. Major part of it is school buildings for
population growth.
2.2 School Mapping Phases and Strategies
In order to achieve funding for the ERfKE proposal, it was
required to be backed up with on-ground feasibility study based
on school mapping recommendations. This required at the time
to built suitable geospatial database within six months, although
it is a very time-consuming work. Thus, three implementation
stages were planned for this according to the required tasks and
phased over time.
2.2.1 PHASE I: The aim of the first implementation phase is
to provide good tool to backup recommendation and to take
decision of where to build new schools, extended and/or
renovate existing schools based on the following criterion:
e Maintain school capacity in terms of the ratio of
available class room area per student following the
UNRWA standard ratio of 1.2 m°/student.
« Renovate or build new school building based on
building condition, rating criteria is provided by the
department of Engineering at the Ministry of
Education (MOE) according to international
standards.
e l|lluminate and/or minimizes double shift schools (i.e.
morning and afternoon schools in the same building).
* [lluminate and/or minimizes rented schools to provide
stability and reduce long-term cost.
e Match the increase in population of the area for the
next ten years (based on a computed ratio of about
3%)
e Show the overall distribution of current schools in the
area in a map with all related info.
e
Time guideline for this phase was about six months, and thus,
according to what is available in GIS vector formats and at the
same time affordable in price, it was decided to use maps with
1:250000 scale. The resultant maps with the built GIS-data
model provided a very good visual of current schools
distribution with available information data. All are integrated
into a GIS customized softwarc The statistical data added werc
based on year 1999/2000, which were sufficient for the required
goal. The build GIS-model is called the Basic model. The next
sections discusses the built GIS-model and the resultant layers.
Internc
2.2.2
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