Through the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Laboratory, Trident Technical College will implement the use of high technology surveying equipment into a total of three civil engineering technology and civil engineering transfer program survey courses and labs. Implementation of this project will allow Trident to address three curriculum deficiencies: (1 ) Trident is unable to teach GPS surveying techniques to train surveyors to comply with recent South Carolina legislation mandates; (2) surveying students are often underprepared for employment because of the lack of GPS training; and (3) the existing equipment limits course content in surveying courses. Introduction to GPS survey equipment is necessary for the education of students entering the civil engineering technology field since the two-year technical colleges are the main source of education and degrees which qualify students to become licensed land surveyors. Through this project Trident Technical College will: revise curriculum in 3 existing civil engineering technology and civil engineering transfer courses to include the use of GPS surveying and mapping equipment; develop laboratory exercises that allow students to develop technical skills in utilizing GPS equipment and surveying software that prepares them for state mandated changes in surveying procedures; work with other technical colleges in the state to provide a flexible training program for students throughout the state interested in becoming registered land surveyors; and expand the introduction to surveying classes to the high school level including GPS and conventional surveying technology.
