A Beginner’s Guide to GIS

Bob Lang FRGS C.GeogKing Edward VI Five Ways School

GIS: a formal definition

“A system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, manipulating, analysing and displaying data which are spatially referenced to the Earth. This is normally considered to involve a spatially referenced computer database and appropriate applications software”

Chorley Report, 1987

“…a digital map, data located on the map, and a software application (GIS) that links the two together”

Diana Freeman (2004)

Location DataLocation Data• How Many? – What Kind? – Where?

Scale of DataScale of Data• Local to Global

Data PresentationData Presentation• Words, Charts, Graphs, Tables, or

Maps

Estimates are that Estimates are that 80%80% of all data has a of all data has a spatialspatial component component

• Data from most sciences can be analyzed spatiallyspatially

What is Data?

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

•GIS is a powerful and versatile tool for decision makers•Enables core geographical issues to be investigated•Provides opportunity to explore spatial relationships•Improve students’ graphical and statistical analysis skills•Supports development of a wide range of skills•Ideal resource for coursework•Increase motivation and retention•Improve their enquiry skills•Develop their mapping skills•Appreciate how people , places and environments change over a period of time.•Experience alternative images of people., places and environments change•Improve the appearance of work

How can GIS aid teaching and learning

GIS concepts are not new!

Cholera deathCholera death

Water pumpWater pump

SohoSoho

+

London cholera epidemic 1854

In the London Cholera epidemic of 1854 Dr. John Snow was able to locate the source of the the outbreak by plotting the locations of fatal cases.

GIS is not just for Geography!•Writing about personal experiences at different locations, scales or further a field in English e.g. What is it like looking down from space and what would you see as you travelled from one place to another?

•Comparing places in the past and present in History.

•Shape, Space, Measure, Trigonometry in Mathematics.

•Measuring Athletic events in Physical Education.

• Observing the Earth from Space in Science.

•Analysing voting trends in Politics.

•Carrying out surveys of local areas in Citizenship

•Surveying of plant species in Biology

•Creating Art using mapping software

“The application of GIS is limited only by the imagination of

those who use it.”

Jack Dangermond, President of ESRI

Continuum

FREE EXPENSIVE

EASY TO USE

COMPLICATED

Often web based

BASIC SOPHISTICATEDSometimes a ‘cut-down’ version

Examples of GIS packages used in Schools

•ESRI’s ArcView

•ESRI’s Digital Worlds

•The Advisory Units Aegis 3

•Microsoft MapPoint

•Google Earth

Use of ESRI’s ArcView

Geography GCSE Coursework

Analysing models of Urban land use within Bishop Stortford.

Bishop’s Stortford College

Use of Digital Worlds

Investigating factors controlling global biomes in Africa KEFW

Use of Aegis 3

Helen Young www.geographygeek.co.uk

Chloropleth map highlighting regions of high and low car use

Highest number of car journeys made within a 2 km radius of the school than any other region.

Investigation Into School Travel Plan 2004ASET AVCE in GIS CourseworkAaron JessopSlough Grammar School

Examples of Microsoft MapPoint

Use of Google Earth

San Francisco : visualizing a safer cityGoogle Earth overlays to the rescue!

San Francisco with an overlay showing the potential for ground shaking during an earthquake. The 3D building layer is active.

Noel Jenkins www.juicygeography.co.uk

Geographical Association’s Spatially speaking projecthttp://www.geography.org.uk/projects/spatiallyspeaking/

Geographical Association’s Think Pieces GIS projecthttp://www.geography.org.uk/projects/gtip/thinkpieces/gis/

Geographical Association’s GIS starts here http://www.geography.org.uk/resources/gisstartshere/

http://www.gis.rgs.org/whatisgis.html

GIS starting points on GA and RGS websites

Skills based development Curriculum based developmentHere you develop first the ideas of skills for example:

1.Switching on/off layers

2.Basic tools like zoom in/out, pan

3.Using tools like swipe & transparency

4.Adding points, lines & polygons

5.Viewing multiple layers

6.Searching by attributes

7.Selecting an area to search within

8.Adding your own data to geographically referenced locations(points, lines & polygons)

Here you would focus on curriculum opportunities as dependant upon your programmes of studies for example based upon our 7 SoW:

1.Map skills

2.My place

3.Connections

4.Microclimate

5.Global Cities

6.Why did so many people die in the Haiti EQ?

ISSUES

Get to grips with the basic language Start small Keep it simple Keep practising Time Don’t be afraid to ask for help Think beyond geography Make it real