Training schoolteachers to disseminate knowledge on Earth observation and geospatial information technology

Date 1 Sep 2021 to 7 Sep 2021
Venue Online training course on Zoom
Contact Persons Servirhkh@icimod.org
Type Training
Programmes SERVIR-HKH

Background

The rapid penetration of Earth observation (EO) and geospatial information technology (GIT) across various disciplines has enabled their widespread adoption in planning sectors, resource management, and sustainable development. However, EO and GIT concepts are still rudimentary or nonexistent in school curriculums across the HKH region. A lack of skilled human resources and institutional capacities and gaps in communication hinder schoolteachers from introducing these concepts and their applications to students.

We seek to bridge this gap by introducing efficient and cost-effective training programmes to address the needs of different users in the use of EO and GIT. In partnership with the Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN), we rolled out the “Connecting space to village: Training teachers to disseminate EO & GIT knowledge” training for schoolteachers in Nepal to introduce them to EO and GIT concepts and their applications in 2019.

In 2021, in partnership with RAN, we will conduct a second edition of the training virtually on 16–20 August to reach more schoolteachers in Nepal. The training will include brief theoretical concepts as well as hands-on tutorials on EO and GIT applications to enable participants to understand basic concepts that can be applied in the school curriculum. This training will also help the participants to learn about SERVIR-HKH’s geospatial products and services and their usefulness. In particular, the training will introduce teachers to different science applications: Agriculture Information Portal; Regional Land Cover Monitoring System; Forest Fire Detection and Alert Information System in Nepal; Streamflow Prediction Tool – Nepal; Regional Drought Monitoring and Outlook System for South Asia; High Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT); and HIWAT Streamflow Prediction Tool – Nepal, among others.

Objectives

This training aims to train schoolteachers in Nepal on the use of EO and GIT applications and data in line with SERVIR-HKH’s efforts to connect space to villages. The teachers can, in turn, introduce these concepts in their schools. This event will also support ICIMOD’s efforts to enhance institutional and individual capacities in the use EO and GIT applications and to improve access to data in the region.

Expected outcomes

  • Schoolteachers are trained in EO and GIT concepts
  • SERVIR-HKH applications are used at the community level
  • Enhanced institutional capacities and enhanced access to data

Expected participants

About 40 schoolteachers teaching science, computer science, geography, or social studies in select rural schools across Nepal are expected to participate in this training.

Resource persons

  1. Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Specialist, ICIMOD
  2. Poonam Tripathi, Training Analyst, ICIMOD
  3. Sudip Pradhan, Programme Coordinator, Regional Database System Initiative, ICIMOD
  4. Sajana Maharjan, Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
  5. Sunil Thapa, Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
  6. Sravan Shrestha, SSA-Remote Sensing and GIS Associate, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
  7. Manish Shrestha, Hydrologist, Water and Air, ICIMOD
  8. Bikash Gurung, President, Robotics Association of Nepal
  9. Utsab Shrestha, Treasurer, Robotics Association of Nepal
  10. Rabiraj Khadka, Project Coordinator, Robotics Association of Nepal
  11. Susmita Chaudhary, R&D Associate, Robotics Association of Nepal
  12. Roshan Poudel, OSM Expert, Kathmandu Living Lab

Tentative agenda

  • Day – 0, Monday, 30 August 2021 – Orientation
    Time Topic
    14:00–16:00 Registration – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN
    Training overview – Rabiraj Khadka, RAN

    Familiarization with Zoom and internet connection

    Installation of QGIS
    Pre-training assessment – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD
  • Day 1 –Wednesday, 1 September 2021
    Time Topic
    09:00–09:15 Registration
    09:15–10:15 Opening session (S1)
    Training overview and introduction of participants – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN

    Welcome remarks – Bikash Gurung, President, Robotics Association of Nepal

    Opening remarks – Birendra Bajracharya, Chief of Party, SERVIR-HKH, ICIMOD

    Remarks – TBC, MoEST, Nepal

    Group photo

    10:15–10:30 Break
    10:50–12:30 Morning session (S2)
    Overview and basic concepts of EO and GIT – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise

    Demo on the Regional Database System (RDS) and downloading data – Sudip Pradhan, ICIMOD

    GIT software (QGIS) download and installation – Utsab Shrestha, RAN

    12:30–13:30 Lunch break
    13:30–17:00 Afternoon session (S3)
    Hands-on exercise (continued) – Utsab Shrestha, RAN

    Vector data exploration and visualization

    Overview of QGIS interface – menu, toolbars, pans, etc.

    Exploring with vector data, layer properties, projection, symbology, label tool, etc.

    Exploring attribute table

    Data classification and grouping – population data

    15:00–15:20 Break
    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Working with raster data; exploring symbology

    Data classification and grouping – DEM data

    Creating maps – layout design

  • Day 2 – Thursday, 2 September 2021
    Time Topic
    9:00–09:15 Registration
    09:15–12:30 Morning session (S4)
    Reflections on the previous day – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN

    Hands-on exercise – Rabiraj Khadka, RAN

    Adding Google Maps in QGIS

    Exploring satellite image texture, color, shape, pattern, etc.

    10:40–11:00 Break
    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Creating a new vector dataset using Google Maps

    Point (market centre, school, health post, etc.); line (road, river, trail, etc.); polygon (crop area, forest area, settlement area, etc.)

    12:30–13:30 Lunch break
    13:30–17:00 Afternoon session (S5)
    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Exploring Google Earth

    Demo – downloading Google Earth and installation

    Navigation, zoom, pan, time stamp exploration, etc.

    Exploring default layers, finding routes and places, exploring Google Maps

    Adding place marks and other data layers in Google Earth

    15:00–15:20 Break
    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Do it yourself – group work – identify changes in your area and report back

  • Day 3 – Friday, 3 September 2021
    >

    Time

    Topic
    >

    9:00–09:15

    Registration
    >

    09:15–12:30

    Morning session (S6)
    >

     

    Reflections on the previous day – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN

    How can we prepare land use/land cover maps of our own village? – Sajana Maharjan, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise – Sajana Maharjan, ICIMOD

    Understanding land cover textures in Google Earth

    >

    10:40–11:00

    Breaks
    >

     

    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Mapping land cover using Google Earth plugin

    Land cover area estimation

    >

    12:30–13:30

    Lunch break
    >

    13:30–17:00

    Afternoon session (S7)
    >

     

    Climate change impacts on forests in Nepal – Sunil Thapa, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise – Sunil Thapa, ICIMOD

    Creating forest maps

    Exploring forest fire data to create forest fire maps

    >

    15:00–15:20

    Break
    >

     

    Hands-on exercise (continued)

    Understanding existing forest fire areas (web app)

    Year-wise forest fire data analysis

  • Day 4 – Monday, 6 September 2021
    Time Topic
    9:00–09:15 Registration
    09:15–12:30 Morning session (S8)
    Reflections on the previous day – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN

    Earth observation for agriculture monitoring – Sravan Shrestha, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise – Sravan Shrestha, ICIMOD

    Overview of the Regional Drought Monitoring System and Outlook System for South Asia

    Exploring the Food Security Information System for Nepal

    10:40–11:00 Break
    Hands-on exercise (continued)
    12:30–13:30 Lunch break
    13:30–17:00 Afternoon session (S9)
    Introduction to streamflow prediction tool – Manish Shrestha, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise – Manish Shrestha, ICIMOD

    The Streamflow Prediction Tool

    Interpretation of streamflow forecasts

    15:00–15:20 Break
    Introduction to the High-impact Weather Assessment Tool (HIWAT) and data available on HIWAT – Manish Shrestha, ICIMOD

    Hands-on exercise – Manish Shrestha, ICIMOD

    Exercise on HIWAT

    Interpretation of HIWAT forecasts

  • Day 5 – Tuesday, 7 September 2021
    Time Topic
    9:00–09:15 Registration
    09:15–12:30 Morning session (S10)
    Review and reflections of previous four days – Susmita Chaudhary, RAN

    Beginners’ guide to OpenStreetMap (OSM) mapping – Roshan Poudel, Kathmandu Living Lab

    10:40–11:00 Break
    OSM mapping (continued)

     

    12:30–13:30 Lunch break
    13:30 -16:00 Afternoon session (S11)
    13:30 – 15:15 Discussion on continued engagement plan (90 min) – Bikash Gurung, RAN and Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD

    Post-training assessment (15 min) – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD

    15:15 -16:00 Closing session (S12)
    Reflections from participants (25 min)

    Closing remarks (10 min) – Birendra Bajracharya, ICIMOD

    Closing address (5 min) – TBC, (School education directorate)

    Vote of thanks (5 min) – Bikash Gurung, RAN