Ground photography for improvved image interpretation training

Abstract

Systematic sets of ground based color and color infrared photography were presented to students in remote sensing classes to enhance their ability to interpret satellite images. Features readily apparent on computer enhanced LANDSAT images were presented simultaneously with ground based photography in the format of slide triplicates. It was hypothesized that this instructional approach would improve the students' abilities to recognize, understand and interpret ground phenomena present on remotely sensed imagery. Tests conducted in undergraduate remote sensing classes substantially upheld this hypothesis. Student image interpretive abilities were tested before and after being exposed to the ground level photography. In general, image interpretive skills of the class improved by 25%. Also, the performance of students having different academic majors varied greatly for differing types of image subjects.