USING GIS IN THE
CLASSROOM
PRESENTED BY
JUDITH BOCK
JENNI DAHL
GEOSPATIAL EDUCATION CONSULTANTS
JUDY@THINKGEOSPATIAL.EDUCATION
JENNI@THINKGEOSPATIAL.EDUCATION
Introductions
 Name
 Affiliation
 Any special interest regarding GIS
Geographic Information Systems - Agenda
 The Geographic Context of GIS
 What is GIS?
 Think Geospatial!
 Setting Up a ConnectED Account
 Explore GIS
 Applications
 Gallery and Collections
 Additional Websites
What is GIS?
 Geographic Information System
 integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing,
managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of
geographically referenced information
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helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at
your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared
http://www.youtube.com/embed/a8RhDpuLPl0?rel=0
http://video.arcgis.com/iframe/3606/000000/width/960/0
/00:00:00
What is GIS?
Geographic Information Systems
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Capture Images
Store data
Analyze
Graphic Form
Data Tables
Three Functions That GIS Serves
 Data Collection and Management
 Gather data from existing sources
 GPS and other sources
 Maintenance of the data
 Accessing the data via geographic databases
 Analysis
 Combine geographic data
 Extract information from the data
 Answer questions like
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What if . . . ?
What are the benefits of . . . .?
What are land uses of this property . . .?
 Display
 Basic level: maps
 Interactive maps, changing scales
 Mobility of maps
http://www.caliper.com/Graphics/Maptitude_Mapping_Software_Screen.png
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12028/images/fig51.jpg
MAKING ORDER
OUT OF OUR COMPLEX WORLD
https://cdn.evbuc.com/eventlogos/29444675/gisthelanguage.jpg
What can you do with GIS?
 Map Where Things Are
 Map Quantities
 Map Densities
 Find What's Inside
 Find What's Nearby
 Map Change
Google maps
http://personal.frostburg.edu/rarichter0/Dot%20Map.jpg
http://www.cast.uark.edu/local/catalog/national/images/maps/Population.dir/USpop1990.gif
http://www.lsi.upc.edu/~net4all/images/UVic_parking_ECS.jpg
http://tclf.org/sites/default/files/features/MobileDeviceLaunch/mobile-screen4_sized.jpg
http://www.cof.orst.edu/rangecontractions/images/fig4a+b+c_lowres.jpg
Geospatial Technology Career Pyramid
http://www4.uwm.edu/gis/careers/images/pyramid_geospatial-520.png
GIS in Illinois Curriculum
 Identify ways GIS fits into
 IL Core Curriculum,
 ISBE Technology Plan
 Illinois Pathways
 We need to make the fit to these plans. How do we
do this?
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What roles does tech play in these plans?
Where does GIS fit into the plans?
How might we leverage and integrate GIS into the
plans?
GIS Is STEM
 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math)
 fields require the abilities to
 collect and analyze data
 while asking and answering questions based on the data
http://roanokevalley-va.aauw.net/files/2013/03/img_STEM_logo_c.jpg
The Geographic Approach
 Geography is the science of our world.
 The Geographic Approach—a new way of thinking and
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problem solving that integrates geographic information
into how we understand and manage our planet.
Step 1: Ask – Frame a question
Step 2: Acquire – Find data
Step 3: Examine – Examine and
organize the data
Step 4: Analyze – Investigate,
evaluate, question
Step 5: Act – Solve problems,
make decisions, share the results
Map Skills
 Maps
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Map Skills
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Scale
Directionality/Orientation
Reference System (Grid)
Key/Legend – Symbols
Selecting Media
Projections
Map Reading
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Decoding
Encoding
Creating/designing
 Geographic Information Systems
 Global Positioning System
 Remote Sensing and Digital Imagery
Why GIS? Why not Google Earth?
 GIS is based on data tables
 Attribute Data
 Allows analysis between layers
 Leads to solving problems, making decisions
The Power of Maps
Access information that
lives behind your map
Maps are powerful
ways to communicate
Maps make it easy to
explore analytical results
Applications
 Adding layers
Applications
 Adding data from csv file or a spreadsheet
 Must have “address” – latitude/longitude, street address
 Databases and Excel files can be slid from desktop onto map –
populates on the fly
 Shapefiles must be zipped
Applications
 Adding Map Notes
 Designing the pop-up box
 Selecting symbols
Applications
 Using Spatial Analysis Tools
 Summarize Data
 Find Locations
 Data Enrichment
 Analyze Patterns
 Use Proximity
 Manage Data
 Filter
 Buffer
Applications
 Create a Story Map
 http://storymaps.arcgis.com/en/
Collections: Gallery, Story Map Apps –
Ready to Use
 Use of Created Maps: Gallery, Story Map Apps
http://www.arcgis.com/home/search.html?q=fire%20maps&t=content&focus=maps
Where is your content stored?
 My Content
 Web maps
 Web applications
 Feature layers
 Saving/Sharing
 Depends on account/license
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Public Accounts
 Private
 With everyone
Organizational Accounts
 Within your class group
 Publically
Professional Business Accounts
Shares with social media, create apps
Shares within class, create apps
Many Types of Licenses
License Types
Geospatial Technologies
 Public
 GIS
 Organizational
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K-12 State License – ArcMap
Desktop
ConnectED
IL Org
LearnGIS
 GPS
 Remote Sensing
 30-day Trial
 Virtual Globes
 Google Earth
 ArcGIS Globe
 ProGIS
 ArcExplorer – 3-D
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 Enterprise
maps
Instructional Strategies
 How could you use GIS in a classroom?
 http://training.esri.com/gateway/index.cfm?fa=catalog.webCourseD
etail&courseid=2198
 http://www.esri.com/industries/k-12/education/educators
 Interdisciplinary ideas?
http://media.directionsmedia.net/directionsmag/channels/articles/t3g-graphic(1).jpg
Websites for ArcGIS Information
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ConnectED – Website for teachers to create a free organizational AGO account. An organization account
allows you to have more options (analytical functions, more layers, create accounts for your students to use,
etc.). This website shows many features and options for using as an educator, as well as the link to Start by
registering yourself for the online, in-the-cloud, free organizational account.
http://connected.esri.com
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Esri K12 GIS Organization – Website for teachers to understand more about the organizational account
and how to get (free to K-12 educators) ArcMap Desktop (professional level of GIS) when needed.
http://k12statelicense.maps.arcgis.com/home/
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Teaching with GIS: Introduction to Using GIS in the Classroom – Free 1-module long course for
more instruction about how to teach with GIS.
http://training.esri.com/gateway/index.cfm?fa=catalog.webCourseDetail&courseid=2198
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Think Geospatial – Developed and maintained by a former Illinois teacher, this site will keep you current
with what is happening in the state, upcoming workshops/training opportunities, and ideas of how to
incorporate GIS into your classroom.
http://thinkgeospatial.education
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Learn GIS – another Esri site that has a 2.5 hour tutorial to learn key ArcGIS Online functions; an
organizational account
http://learngis.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html
LearnGIS
Summing It Up:
GIS: Mapping Your World
 How is GIS used?
 What courses might you need?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/6AlH5TvFoLw?rel=0
Really an advertisement for Shasta College, but has an excellent overview
of what GIS is and what skills are part of GIS (11 minutes)