For decades, GIS has been taught from a bottom-up perspective in which basic concepts, tools, and tasks are first introduced in great detail, then linked together to form higher level parts of the system. These are in turn linked, sometimes across many levels, until the complete top-level geographic information system is revealed. This approach often results in a view of GIS as muddle of tools, functions, properties, and subsystems, seemingly isolated, task-specific, and fragmented. LearnGIS replaces this piecewise approach with a top-down, integrated view of GIS as a platform, based on the science of geography, that provides open geospatial capabilities to any user and allows access by any application on any device. In our top-down approach, we demonstrate through real-world examples how GIS solves geographic problems and builds geospatial knowledge. The examples, illustrating how GIS is used to conceptualize, organize, analyze, and visualize geographic information, introduce relevant GIS concepts, functions, and uses in yet greater detail. The exercises come to life when readers apply the methods in an interactive, engaging, and fun social learning environment. With the ArcGIS platform, all the maps, data, and tools are online, so anyone can learn by doing at anytime, anywhere, as long as they have Internet access. Through interactive story-telling and hands-on applications, we build a progressive understanding of the entire GIS platform, as a collection of its base elements (online maps, apps, tools, workflows, …), assembled in an integrated fashion, and used to find the solutions and information desired.

1. 2014 AAG Annual Meeting
April 8-11, 2014 | Tampa, FL
LearnGIS: A Novel, Top-down
Approach to Learning about GIS
Aileen Buckley, Esri
aileen buckley | research cartographer
esri | 380 new york street | redlands, ca 92373-8100
O: 909.793.2853 x2997 | C: 909.289.1798
abuckley@esri.com

3. An interactive and engaging social environment to
help people learn how to develop geographic
knowledge and solve spatial problems

4. Goal

5. Focused on questions and problems
Where?
Why there?

6. A new introduction to what GIS is…
• Enables you to build knowledge and solve problems
• Includes rich data sets and powerful analytical tools
• Lets you creates maps and other useful information
products
• Allows you to interact with data in a meaningful way
• And…perhaps most importantly…

7. GIS helps you communicate your
information and knowledge
“GIS condenses down all the data and our information and our
knowledge and our science into a kind of language that we can
easily understand—maps.” – Jack Dangermond
http://www.esri.com/about-esri/vision/jack_dangermond

8. Office
Professional to Consumer GIS
Enterprise
Web
• Maps
• Data
• Analysis
Devices
Individual
Powered
by . . .
Maps & Apps
Desktops
• Ready-to-use information
• Analysis in the cloud
• Online maps and layers
ArcGIS is Web GIS

9. Approach
• Uses inquiry-based learning to enhance/enrich
traditional approaches
• Focused on realistic spatial questions and
geographic problems
• Leverages rich GIS datasets and analytical
tools
• Uses online technology to enable you to use
and share information and resources
• The social setting allows you to participate in the
community

10. Inquiry-based learning
• “Involvement leads to understanding”
• Useful application involves:
- a context for questions
- a framework for questions
- different levels of questions
• Inquiry-based learning produces
knowledge that can be widely applied
• Use of technology is focused on its
application to enhance learning rather
than learning about the technology itself
Case-based learning
Challenge-based learning
Community-based learning
Design-based learning
Game-based learning
Inquiry-based learning
Land-based learning
Passion-based learning
Place-based learning
Problem-based learning
Project-based learning
Proficiency-based learning
Service-based learning
Studio-based learning
Team-based learning
Work-based learning
. . . and the new fave . . .
Zombie-based learning (look it up!)

11. What all of these have in common:
Focus on an open ended question or task (these require a full, meaningful answer
using the person's own knowledge)
Provide authentic application of content and skills
Build 4 C's competencies (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity)
Emphasize student independence and inquiry
Inquiry-based
Students come up
with their own
questions, which
leads to a search for
resources and the
discovery of
answers, and which
ultimately leads to
generating new
questions, testing
ideas, and drawing
their own
conclusions
With real inquiry
comes a new answer
to a driving question,
a new product, or a
new solution to a
problem
Project-based
Often multi-disciplinary
May be lengthy
(weeks or months)
Follow general,
variously-named
steps
Includes the
creations of a
product or
performance
Often involves real-world,
fully
Problem-based
Often single-subject
Tend to be shorter
Follows specific,
traditionally
prescribed steps
The "product" may
simply be a
proposed solution,
expressed in
writing or in an oral
presentation
More often uses
case studies and
fictitious scenarios
Question-based
Often answer a
single question
Tend to be even
shorter still
Follows a specific,
traditionally
prescribed step (or
few steps)
There is no product
aside from
knowledge gained
More often uses
case studies and
fictitious scenarios
Inquiry-based
learning
Project-based
learning
Problem-based
learning
Question-based
learning
Complexity

12. •Inquiry-based
learning
•The goal is
innovation
•You can use the
skills gained to
get a new
answer to a
Driving
Question,
develop a new
product, find a
new solution to a
problem
•The focus is
investigation
•Project-based
learning
•The goal is to
create a
product
•You can use the
skills gained to
create similar
products or
create products
in a similar way
in the future
•The focus is
productivity
•Problem-based
leaning
•The goal is to
solve a problem
•You can use the
skills gained to
solve similar
problems in the
future
•The focus is
problem
solving
•Question-based
learning
•The goal is to
answer a
question
•You can use the
skills gained to
answer similar
questions in the
future
•The focus is
knowledge
building
Inquiry-based
learning
Project-based
learning
Problem-based
learning
Question-based
learning

13. Inquiry implies a “want or need to know" premise,
so…

14. Who is the audience?
• Self-motivated learners, such as:
- Academic students who want or need to learn about GIS
- Professionals who want or need to learn more about GIS
- Managers who want to learn more about how GIS can be
used in their organization
• Teachers who want to get or share resources to teach GIS
• Map and GIS librarians who teach, formally or informally,
about GIS
Developers Educators GIS Librarians
Students
GIS Professionals Consumers
“-ologists”
Managers
Journalists

15. 1
2 4
1
3

16. 1

17. Lesson example
1

18. The Power of Maps
2

19. The Power of Maps - Windows
2

20. The Power of Maps - Stories
2

21. The Power of Maps - Analysis
2

22. Get Started Now
3

23. Spatial Problem Solving
4

24. Model the analysis approach
Figure out the approach that will be used to generate the results
Identify assumptions that have a bearing on how you will perform the
analysis or what results will be generated
Gather and understand the data
Gather, manipulate, visualize, and explore meaningful and useful
geographic data
Perform the steps in the analysis
Process the data analytically to draw out essential characteristics
Display and assess the results
Manipulate and display the results graphically to reveal something interesting or
useful
Examine the results to identify and understand unusual or interesting patterns
Determine if special considerations about the data, analysis methods, or mapping
methods would alter the results
Not a linear process—you
iterate, diagnose, review,
and backtrack as you make
progress
Explore the
issue to find
out about
important topics
Frame the question
or questions that you
want to investigate
spatial PROBLEM SOLVING
Understand the meaning of what you see on the maps, tables, graphs, etc…
Make sense of these results
Evaluate whether the results provide a satisfactory explanation or
answer to the spatial question or questions you asked
Share your findings with
others through thoughtfully-presented
geoenriched
online maps and apps

25. Application areas
Aid & Development
Business
Defense & Intelligence
Education
Government
Health & Human Services
Mapping & Charting
Natural Resources
Public Safety
Transportation
Utilities & Communications

27. Spatial questions – based on Andy Mitchell’s books

29. Spatial Analysis - Lesson
4

30. Concept topics – based on content in books

31. Concept topics – based on content in books

32. Online analysis

34. Rich data sets
• Living Atlas
• Landscape Layers
• Elevation Layers
• USGS historic topo quads
Analysis tools:
• Summarize Elevation
• Profile
• Trace Downstream
• Viewshed
• Watershed

35. Use Story Map templates

36. Builder apps

37. Include core topics from GIS&T BoK

38. LearnGIS Body of Knowledge
Geographic
question
Data Analysis Results Interpretation Communication Implementation
Manipulate and
display the
results in a way
the reveals the
solution, i.e., the
thing that is
interesting or
useful about the
environment
• Maps, graphs,
reports,
information
graphics
• Symbolization
• Qualitative
thematic maps
• Quantitative
thematic maps
• Image maps
Deconstruct the
environment into
constituent parts,
then gather
meaningful and
accurate data about
the labeled features,
attributes, and
phenomena that we
have identified
Process those
data analytically
to draw out
essential
characteristics
and produce a
• GIS basics
• The earth and earth
coordinates
• Map scale
• Map projections
• Grid coordinate
systems
• Land information
• Geographic data and
primary data sources
• Data quality and map
accuracy
• Data modeling and
data manipulation
solution
• Analysis and
geoprocessing
• Geometric
measures
• Overlay
• Analytical
Methods
• Surface Analysis
• Spatial statistics
• Geostatistics
• Data mining
• Network analysis
• Optimization
• Location
allocation
Ask
something
interesting or
useful about
the
environment
• Learning
objectives
• What
• Where
• How much
• Why
Integrate the
solution into
frameworks,
workflows,
environments,
or processes
• GIS and maps in
society and
organizations
• GIS workflows
• Coordinating
organizations
• Organizations
structures
• Organizational
procedures
• GI system
operations
• GI system
infrastructure
Learn
something
interesting or
useful about
the
environment
• Reading,
analysis,
interpretation
• Read a map
• Read multiple
maps
• Look for patterns
• Look for
correspondence
• Explain the
patterns or
correspondence
Communicate
what you have
learned to
others
• Maps, graphs,
reports,
information
graphics
• Compilation
and page
construction
(includes map
elements and
page layout)
• Symbolization
• Production
and
publication

39. Consider Khan Academy Knowledge Map approach

40. Knowledge Map for LearnGIS
Spatial Problem
Solving
Geographic
question
What is
“geographic”
Types of
geographic
questions
Application areas
Scale
Data
Types of
geographic data
Exploring data
Manipulating data
Analysis
Types of
geographic
analyses
Choosing an
analysis method
Results
Reading a map
Understanding
how a map was
made
Understanding
artifacts of maps
Understanding
artifacts of
analysis
Interpretation
Understanding
why things are
where they are
Understanding the
relations among
features
Communication
Making a map
Understanding
how the map
reader reads the
map
Implementation

41. In the very near future…
• Release: Prior to UC in July
• More…
- Lessons
- Examples
- Concept topics
• Enhancements for more community involvement
• Guided GIS Analysis

42. aileen buckley | research cartographer
esri | 380 new york street | redlands, ca 92373-8100
O: 909.793.2853 x2997 | C: 909.289.1798 |
abuckley@esri.com