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long introduced students to use computer
aided design (CAD) techniques, their
usage is even more commonplace with the
new Port and Airport Development Scheme
under implementation by the Hong Kong
government. Consultancy firms competing
for construction contracts are well
aware of the importance of using
computer-generated graphics in their
proposed designs. A complex geographic
database of the territory is needed for
use in advanced mapping software. Great
needs in terrain modelling work demand
degree-holders to receive training along
that line. Thus, disciplines like
planning, surveying, and to a certain
extent geography, have begun to impose
such training to their students in
anticipation of employment in these
areas. A positive macro environment for
geocomputing education is thus formed in
Hong Kong.
CURRICULUM EFFORTS
Extensive changes in curriculum emphasis
on microcomputing in geography have been
made within the last five years or so.
When Yeh (1986) wrote his article on the
use of microcomputing in geography, such
a direction was still something under
planning. Today, among almost all well-
established geography departments in
developed parts of the world, a lab
devoted to computer applications is
considered to be a regular facility. To
most people within the geography
community, the ability to use micro-
computers is added to the list of basic
Skills one should possess such as
literacy, numeracy, and graphicy.
Part of the reasons to explain such
changes concern with great strides that
have been made in geographic methodology
since the 1980s. One is the use of
computers to: generate maps which were
hitherto hand-drawn, a tedious job for
any cartographer. Another is the use of
remote sensing, digital image processing
in particular, in the acquisition of
remotely sensed data for subsequent
classification and interpretation.
Thirdly, the. rise of geographic infor-
mation systems technology, in which both
geographers and computer specialists do
play a part, rapidly and extensively
revolutionize spatial data handling and
modelling. I shall subsume these areas
under the heading "geocomputing" in the
following discussion.
Apparently, geocomputing requires large
amount of capital "input, both in
hardware and software acquisition and in
"humanware" recruit. Outside private
145
businesses, only tertiary educational
institutions can afford such setups.
Such training is offered in two streams:
within geography or land surveying
departments. In the former category,
geography departments at the University
of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of
Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Baptist College
all offer some levels of training at
both undergraduate and graduate levels.
In the latter category, the Hong Kong
Polytechnic's Center of Land and
Engineering Surveying is the principal
training base.
Each of the four departments/center
possess some kind of hardware setup
which is different from others. For the
case of the University of Hong Kong, the
Department of Geography and Geology
houses a remote sensing lab and another
computer-aided cartography unit. They
are equipped basically with 286 and 386
machines for students’ usage. Software
available include ORSER (for remote
sensing), ATLAS*GRAPHICS (for computer
cartography), AutoCAD (for graphics
drawing), IDRISI (for G.I.S.), etc.
Peripherals like printers, plotters,
scanners, and digitizers are also
available.
As the second oldest geography depart-
ment in the territory, the Chinese
University of Hong Kong's equipment are
all located in their remote sensing lab.
Again, several 286 and 386 machines are
available for student usage. A recent
addition is an engineering workstation
for staff's research purposes. A host
of software is available: IDRISI, SPANS,
pcARC/INFO (for G.I.S.), ATLAS*GRAPHICS
(for computer cartography), and a couple
of remote sensing software. Input and
output devices of all kinds are
available too.
The Hong Kong Baptist College setup is
located as a G.1.8. unit within the
Cartography Lab. Within the unit, there
are five IBM PS/2 machines, each
attached with a digitizing tablet.
The whole setup is networked to the
College's system, thus access to
software can be obtained in many more
locations. Since its inception in 1990,
the list of purchased software has been
expanding rapidly. A partial list
include ATLAS*GRAPHICS and SURFER (for
computer cartography), DRAGON (for
remote sensing), and IDRISI (for
g.1.8.). Future considerations may
include VGA-ERDAS, pcARC/INFO or SPANS.
Similar to other counterparts, usual
input and output devices are installed.