Getting Started with GIS

Geographic information systems (GIS) have changed the way many governments and organizations conduct business, solve problems, and plan for the future. This course provides a foundation for understanding what a geographic information system is and the possibilities it offers for discovering patterns, relationships, and trends. You learn how GIS maps are different from other types of paper and digital maps, what makes the data used in a GIS unique, and how to use GIS software to obtain information and create meaningful maps. In interactive exercises and activities throughout the course, you work with ArcGIS software and see how a GIS supports problem solving in many different contexts.

This course is designed for those with no GIS background or experience who want to learn the basic features of a GIS and a geographic approach to solving problems.

Those who complete this course will be able to:

• Explain what a GIS is.
• List some ways that GIS is being used to address real-world problems.
• Display geographic data in ArcMap.
• Query a GIS database to gain information and locate features.
• Understand different types of spatial relationships among real-world features.
• Use analysis tools to create new data.
• Apply a standard approach to solving geographic problems.

• The Big Picture of GIS: Six questions about GIS; GIS maps
• Understanding Geographic Data: GIS data; Map meets database; Thematic mapping
• Analyzing Geographic Data: Query; Analysis; Bringing it all together

Students should know how to use Windows-based software for basic file management and browsing.

To complete course exercises, you need the following software:

How do I know what ArcGIS Desktop software I have?   [Flash]   [Text]