Teaching, advising, and mentoring students are fundamental to my role as a scholar/educator. I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of GIScience, human dimensions of environmental change, and water governance. In my teaching, I try to focus on the connections among human-environmental issues, methods, and policy-relevant solutions.
My teaching philosophy is centered around collaboration, critical problem solving, and adaptive self-reflection. Below are the courses I’ve taught at some point. In some cases, I provide links to syllabi or GitHub pages (if relevant) - but feel free to contact me at pbitterm@kent.edu for more information.
Current courses:
Environmental Analysis in R (GEOG 49073/59073/79073) | GitHub link
This course aims to teach students basic concepts, skills, and tools for working with data and open source tools grounded in the R programming language. This is a project-based, student-led course that explores how to implement GIScience concepts, theories, and methods using R and R-based tools. Students will develop algorithms and programs to edit, query, manipulate, visualize and analyze spatial data. Students will also generate graphical output (maps and other plots) and create reproducible workflows. Students will develop a public-facing portfolio documenting their learning and course outputs to communicate their skills to potential mentors, employers, and the public.
Advanced GIS (GEOG 49080/59080/79080)
The use of geographic information system (GIS) software for the management and analysis of social and environmental systems is rapidly expanding in both depth and breadth. To apply rapidly evolving GIS technology appropriately and ethically, users must understand the basic principles that underlie GIS software and Geographic Information Science (GIScience). This course provides students with insight into how GIScience can address pressing sustainability issues, with an emphasis on policy implementation and practical applications. In this course, students will learn how spatial data science and geospatial “big” data can be harnessed to develop sustainable solutions while simultaneously considering the ethical, equitable, and policy-related implications. Students will develop an understanding of advanced theories and analytical methods in GIScience, and will develop the skills necessary to use leading GIS software packages properly and inform policy with scientifically sound, equitable solutions.
Past (or irregularly offered) courses
Principles of GIS | Syllabus link
Global Environmental Issues | Syllabus link
Spatial Dimensions of Decision-Making in Social-Ecological Systems (graduate seminar) | Syllabus link
Proseminar in Research and Professional Development | Syllabus link
Advanced GIS | Syllabus link
Programming, Scripting, and Automation for GIS (GEOG 432/832) | GitHub link
Systems Dynamics and Strategic Management for Community Resilience | Syllabus link