Courses: My department, Sociology: none. Earth Science (Geography) department: (1) Advanced Cartography and (2) Aerial Photographs and Remote Sensing Data. Typical students are Geography majors (small department). Courses contribute to the Earth Science degree program.
I do not teach courses specifically on GIS.
As an Urban sociologist and research methodologist, I want to incorporate GIS-based research data and techniques into my courses in those areas, applied to issues in urban socology and as powerful underused research methods in the research courses.
I do not now incorporate GIS-based research into my instruction, but want to.
I would like to see GIS education incorporated into sociology as an important method for documenting macro spatial patterns of human activity and interaction.
My background includes experience in geodetic and astronomic surveying, navagation, and aviation (instrument rated private pilot). I have taught social impact assessment courses and directed a social impact assessment training program. I also have fairly extensive experience in personal computer programming and software design (mostly database management systems development). I believe that GIS could/should become a critical method for future planning of the human-natural environment relation. For that to happen, fields such as sociology must incorporate it in their educational programs.