Abstract
The increasing availability of high-resolution satellite imagery is one of several factors that is renewing interest in teaching photo interpretation skills both in academia and in the workplace. The Aerial Photointerpretation Course, developed by the NASA-funded Geospatial Workforce Development Project at the University of Mississippi, presents an unusual opportunity to remedy the neglect of photointerpretation in many university curricula in past years. Course development in Remote Sensing and GIS within the geospatial curriculum in recent decades has diverted attention from development of original teaching materials devoted specifically to photointerpretation. This newly developed course provides the opportunity to offer students with materials that can present basic concepts in the context of current technology and resources, and current workforce needs. Course content is presented in four units: (1) History and Significance, (2) Photographic Systems, (3) The Human Dimension to Photointerpretation, and (4) Applications. The applications unit consists of several components encompassing a broad range of subject areas, from Agriculture and Forestry, to Geology and Geomorphology, and to History and Archeology. The on-line format offers opportunity to deliver a high density of visual content to students, and to increase opportunities for students to acquire first-hand experience in photointerpretation. The on-line format also offers opportunities to use a wide range of sources and activities not normally available for conventional classroom presentation.
