ArcWatch - December 2010

Esri Charts a New Direction in Training

By Carla Wheeler
Esri Writer

Say goodbye to formal lectures and hello to more participation from students like yourself when you take instructor-led GIS courses from Esri. A new course design and training delivery style developed by Esri stresses interactive learning. Students now take a more active role in class, with instructors eliciting discussion by posing more questions and assigning students to work together in small groups on short problem-solving exercises. Classmates are encouraged to share their on-the-job GIS experiences. Lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on software exercises place greater emphasis on real-world scenarios and situations. "We want learning to be fun, easy, and applicable," said Esri national instructor manager Krista Page. Read the article.

Web Map Development Tips

When Esri Technical Marketing began to develop the Esri Social Media/VGI application to map volunteered geographic information (VGI) and social media feeds tied to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, valuable lessons soon emerged. For example, the team discovered it was tricky to filter social media to display only content relevant to the disaster. The team also learned that it was almost mandatory to use filters and community policing to prevent inappropriate content from being posted. Learn how the team dealt with each challenge it faced in developing the Web mapping application.

Share Maps, Create Apps

As access to maps has become more ubiquitous online, most people now expect to see a map as part of a story or even to tell the entire story. The ArcGIS.com viewer at ArcGIS.com lets you easily share maps with a wide audience, embed maps in Web pages, and use templates to quickly create Web mapping applications. Read this article to learn how to work with the ArcGIS.com viewer to share maps and make apps.

Earn Esri Technical Certifications

Beginning January 17, Esri software users can register for and take exams to achieve Esri technical certification. The new Esri Technical Certification Program recognizes expertise in desktop, developer, and enterprise use of Esri technology. The first certifications offered include ArcGIS Desktop Associate; ArcGIS Desktop Professional; Web Application Developer Associate; Enterprise Geodatabase Management Associate; and Enterprise Administration Associate. Eight additional certifications are in development. Read the article.

A Switch to ArcGIS Server

Find out how the City of Westerville, Ohio, transitioned from using ArcIMS to ArcGIS Server to provide dynamic, faster-rendering maps to police, planning, and other departments. "The great thing about ArcGIS Server is that I didn't have to be a programmer to create my Web sites," said Brian Nemec, Westerville's GIS manager. The general public is also reaping benefits. With ArcGIS Server, Westerville citizens can now get specific crime reports through a Flex-based Web site. Read the article.

Newsroom

What's Ahead for VGI?

Redlands GIS Week will focus on how volunteered geographic information (VGI) can be integrated into real-time and emergency applications built using GIS technology. The event, featuring keynote addresses, demonstrations, and lightning talks, will be held Feb. 8-10, 2011 at Esri in Redlands, California. Learn how to participate.

ArcGIS Mobile on Scene at Oil Spill

Esri's ArcGIS Mobile was used to map tubular floating barriers called booms after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Booms kept oil from reaching sensitive habitats. Read the article.

Get Free Demographic and Market Data

Business Analyst Online (BAO) for iOS is now optimized for the Apple iPad, as well as the iPhone, and includes a FactPak specifically for marketers. In addition to basic demographic facts provided with the application, this FactPak provides information such as the percentage of avid television watchers and data on travel spending. Download the free app.

Mapping the Online Shopping Phenomenon [PDF]

In what ZIP Codes in the United States do people spend the most shopping online? 90210 (Beverly Hills)? Find out by downloading this map [PDF], which was created using sources such as Esri Updated Demographics.

Food for Thought

Researchers and GIS analysts at Michigan State University used commercial data from Esri and Esri's ArcGIS technology to map food deserts, or urban areas with little or no access to stores that sell nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Read the article.

Call for PUG Presentations

Tell your GIS story at the 2011 Esri Petroleum User Group (PUG) Conference. submit your abstracttoday.


Submit Your Maps

The Places & Spaces Mapping Science Exhibita> is seeking map submissions. This 7th iteration of the exhibit is devoted to science maps that serve as visual interfaces to digital libraries. Learn the detailsabout the exhibit and the submission guidelines.

Try the My Place History App

You can use the new My Place History application that Esri developed for Apple's iPhone and iPad to view potential health risks in places you've lived. In this article, Esri's Bill Davenhall talks about how a heart attack he suffered a decade ago and a talk he gave at TEDMED 2009, a medical technology and health care conference, spurred the development of this unique app. To learn more, read GeoMedicine: Can Geographic Information Make Me Healthy? [PDF]

3D Volumetric Analysis

Some geographic questions can only be answered in 3D. How risky is a flight through dangerous airspace? Which offices in a building are close to dangerous materials stored nearby? How much water will fit inside this valley? Will my backyard suntanning days be over once that new building is finished? Intersect 3D, Inside 3D, and Skyline Barrier are some of the analytic tools that were added to the ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension at version 10 that are specifically geared toward working with GIS data in true volumetric space. Read the article.

Read GIS Tutorial for Humanitarian Assistance

GIS Tutorial for Humanitarian Assistance, published by Esri Press, provides guidance to professionals and students as they apply GIS skills and analysis to humanitarian aid efforts. The workbook teaches core cartographic skills, spatial data management, planning logistics, and route optimization. ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 software and data are included, letting you work on exercises based on real-world scenarios. Buy the book.

Source: www.esri.com