An overview of geospatial technology training on campus and the question of what training you would like to see offered in the area (on or off campus).
Click here to directly download the mp3 version
Spatial@UNCP – Episode 15
27
Oct
We have a campus site license for Esri’s ArcGIS. I talk a little bit about the new version (10) and how to get it on your computer.
Click here to directly download the mp3 version
Introduction to GIS and ArcGIS – September 23
20
Sep
Here is the abstract for this Thursday’s session on ArcGIS at 10AM in Oxendine 2202. If you would like to attend, send Cynthia Saylor an email to register.
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ArcGIS is the industry leading software for storing, manipulating, and displaying location information. The software allows users to take advantage of the wealth of spatial data that is available from government, corporate, and public sources. While the most perceptible use of a geographic information system (GIS) is to create a map to share with others, ArcGIS provides a wealth of tools to create spatial data, consume existing data, conduct spatial analysis, and model our world. The session will spend time (30-40 minutes) discussing what GIS is and isn’t, what tools ArcGIS offers, and how ArcGIS can support your research, service, and education efforts. How to find data to support your needs will also be discussed. The remainder of the time will be spent in a self-led hands-on ArcGIS exercise.
The session is intended to provide attendees with a broad understanding of how ArcGIS may fit within their workflow. After this session you will have access to online training from Esri, the company who makes ArcGIS and, of course, time to ask specific questions about your needs for spatial analysis and mapping.
Spatial@UNCP – Episode 14
04
Sep
A lost episode from the spring, I talk about Where 2.0 and the AAG conferences and how they address the geography and geospatial community needs.
Click here to directly download the mp3 version or use the embedded player below to listen from your browser
ArcGIS Workshop September 23
25
Aug
The first geospatial workshop of the 2010-11 year will take place on September 23 at 10:00-11:30 in Room 2202 Oxendine. The focus will be on the utility and use of ArcGIS 9.3. The workshop will focus on a discussion of how the software can be used for teaching, research, and service. While the workshop is too short to go into depth on the software, attendees will be provided access to online training to extend what we cover in the workshop.
I assume that you should contact DoIT if you plan to take advantage of the workshop. I should also note that if you have specific questions about ArcGIS or any geospatial technology feel free to contact me for a quick conversation or one-on-one training.
Fall is falling upon us
12
Aug
It is, in fact, the end of the summer ‘break’. Both summer sessions went well from my perspective and while the online class wasn’t all that I hoped it would be, I think I did well for a first time through. The key is to not allow any wiggle room in terms of time, structure everything as tightly as possible. I structured half the class (the writing assignments and projects) and left the tests and exams open ended time-wise. Everyone got there writing assignments and projects in on time and most waited ’til the last minute to take the map tests and exams not leaving themselves enough time to do as well as they could. SO…the lesson learned…STRUCTURE EVERYTHING 
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With the fall starting, so too will the Spatial@UNCP podcasts. I am going with an every other Thursday schedule again this year and will probably lean towards mapping and cartography topic in the fall since I am teaching Intro to Cartography. If you would like to join me on a podcast to talk about how you are using geospatial technologies in your class, research or service let me know. If you have anything specific you would like to hear about let me know.
FYI, Geography Awareness Week is the week before Thanksgiving (Nov 15-19) and I hope to have at least one guest speaker on campus to talk about their work in Geography. GIS Day is always the Wednesday of Geography Awareness Week and I hope to do something during the activity hour that day on campus. Of course all of these things are contingent on not being crushed by the fall.
Diligent summer? That is the goal.
18
May
It seems that house hunting is taking up an inordinate amount of time in my two weeks since classes ended, but writing is occurring, GISing is in action, and postering is underway. I have a World Regions in Summer 1 and an online section of World Regions in Summer 2. The online decision was initially because I will be at the ESRI Education User Conference and International User Conference, but I was astounded by the fact that it filled in less than a day after summer registration came online. I have turned away more people than are in the class! Clearly next summer I will offer an online option again (assuming it goes well this summer).
I do plan to offer a 2 day Intro to GIS workshop in late July or early August, so keep an eye out for details on that when they become available.
Finding Spatial Data workshop
22
Apr
I am getting ready to do a workshop on “Finding and Creating Spatial Data” but I am going to minimize the creating aspect of spatial data this time around and saving the creating aspect to the fall semester. An hour and a half just isn’t enough time to really get into both finding existing data and creating your own data. If you aren’t able to attend but are interested in the links that I will highlight, the PowerPoint and handout are available over on the Workshops page where I archive materials from the workshops I lead.
Podcasts delayed
21
Apr
I apologies for falling behind on the podcast distribution. I have Episode 14 recorded and plans for 15 and 16, but between conference travel and editing interviews for the other podcast from said conferences and the end of the semester rolling through I have put Spatial@UNCP on the back burner for another week or so. I should be back to the “every two week” schedule by the first week in May.
Starting in July the podcast is going to go themed as part of the previously mentioned NC Space Grant and the Intro to Cartography class I will be teaching in Fall. Expect podcasts on specific technologies and data sources for the 2010-2011 school year. Until then, we will be talking Census and general GIS topics for the next 4 episodes.
Putting the Digital Earth to Work – NC Space Grant
19
Apr
I am very excited to be able to share that I was awarded an NC Space Grant, Informal Science Education grant. The title of the proposal was “Putting the Digital Earth to Work: introducing potential science and social studies users to Earth Observation sensors and their data” and it has a fairly focused goal of:
highlighting the data from remote sensors and the tools used to interact with them.
A second goal will be to reinforce users’ existing spatial literacy as the data captured by the sensors is highly spatial in nature. There will be a few targeted outcomes including the project website, an online map-based Earth Observation Virtual Laboratory, podcasts about earth observation, an educator workshop, and a set of open lesson plans.
If you are an educator (formal or informal), keep an eye here to find out more about the educator workshop that will take place in June 2011. It will be a mix of lecture, computer, and group activities…I think, but with 13 months to go, who knows what will change.