Classes from March 19 – May 21

Instructed by Evaine K. Sing from Grounded Strategies

A ten-week course to learn the basics of GIS technologies (Geographic Information Systems), with a focus on the industry-standard ArcGIS platform by ESRI. Classes will be held every Monday from March 19th-May 21st from 6:30-8:30 PM.

The course will cover:

An overview of GIS, Finding, Downloading, Cleaning Data, File Geodatabases, GIS Outputs, Map Design, Spatial Data, Geoprocessing, Spatial Analysis, Application

We will utilize lecture, hands-on tutorials in the program, readings and application with a Community Project and Partner.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What do I need?

• We use the text “GIS Tutorial 1, 10.3 Edition” by Kurland and Gorr. There are electronic versions available, but this is a great reference book and it can be easier to have something to flip through when you need a reminder of what you’ve learned.
• A free trial of the software is available online but limited to 90 days which should get you through the class if you are looking to evaluate the system. I believe a 180-day trial is available with the purchase of a new copy of the text. Alternatively, if you would like to purchase a personal copy of the software, ESRI offers a personal license for $100/year though the text will still be required.
• An external hard drive or jump drive with at least 2GB of free space.
• Plan to have your own Laptop and ArcGIS software for the course. The desktop version of this software (which is what this class will focus on) only works in the Windows Operating System. So, if you have a Mac, you can run a Windows virtual machine on your Mac or try and borrow a PC.

If I don’t own a laptop, can I borrow one?

• There are 3 desktops onsite (with ArcGIS installed) for students who cannot provide their own computer but this means you will only be able to work during the class hours.

What should I expect?

• This professional development class is designed so that students can work at their own pace. We will work to get you familiar with concepts and tools during the class time and provide ample time to work on modules while we are available to help troubleshoot and answer questions. That said, the more time you are able to commit to finishing the in-class exercises and applying what you’ve learned in a practical project, the more you will retain.
• Each year, we adjust the class based on the feedback of previous students to ensure you get a strong understanding of the system, its potential for use in your field of interest or work, and a starting point for data and analytics.
• We work to solidify the individual lessons through project application – if you have a project in mind, we can work with you to make that happen, if you need a project, we will connect you with a community partner who may need some support – as mentioned, the more you use it, the easier it gets and the project is a great way to apply what you learn.
• We get that this is something extra and we want to make sure it is worth your time! If you have additional questions or need more time, we can work with you so that you don’t get overwhelmed. We also want to make it fun, we provide snacks during each class and spend plenty of time commiserating over the challenges of clean data and imperfect technology!

What kind of projects can I do?

• The only limitations for project applications are your commitment to time and access to the data. We can work to connect you to many data sources, but occasionally due to privacy concerns or disconnected systems, certain data may be hard to obtain – such as detailed crime or health information – but we will do our best to help you work on something that is relevant to you.

Is there a certificate for completing this course?

• While this course is not accredited in any way, we will provide a certificate to acknowledge your completion of study. Successful completion includes the expectation of attendance in all classes (or making up the work if you miss it), successful completion of all assignments, and an applied project to be on the final day of class.