Latest Contributions by JosephKerski

In my last post, I described some simple but powerful activities that you can use with students to engage them in mathematics using ArcGIS Online.   What else can you do with mathematics with ArcGIS Online?  Using another activity I have written, I invite students to investigate global temperature extremes.   The activity begins by asking two questions:  (1)  Can you work effectively with numbers so that they can understand extreme temperatures around the world?  (2) Can you compare and interpret information so that you can understand patterns over space and time? Students conduct seven mathematics investigations in this activity: 1. Analyze temperature extremes data around the world including the temperature reading and the date. 2. Examine the relationship between the location (primarily: Altitude and latitude) of the extreme temperatures and the value of the temperature, and whether that temperature was a high or a low extreme. 3. Order and compare numbers in temperature data tables and on maps. 4. Round numbers in temperature data tables and maps. 5. Visually represent numbers in temperature data tables and maps. 6. Add and subtract whole numbers and decimals. 7. Compare temperature extremes over time by constructing graphs. The activity begins by asking the students to describe the hottest and then the coldest day they have experienced, and what they did to cool down or warm up.  Next, using a map of temperatures plotted as points on a world map in ArcGIS Online, they describe the spatial pattern of global maximum and minimum temperature extremes.  Then, exploring the attribute table in tandem with the map, they answer the following questions:  "What is the range of maximum temperatures shown on this map (between the lowest maximum and the highest maximum)? How many times hotter is the highest maximum temperature than the lowest maximum temperature? Round your final answer to the nearest degree. Show your work." Students then sort the table on latitude and graph the temperatures by latitude, and then create a histogram of temperature extremes by month of the year, using these graphs to make connections between the data, the map, climate, and seasons.   They zoom in to selected extreme temperature locations and examine the effect of local topography and proximity to oceans on extreme temperatures.   They also examine the temporal components of the data to determine the existence and length of heat waves and cold snaps. What else could you do with this data or with other weather related data to connect science, geography, and mathematics using ArcGIS Online? Examining global temperature extremes with ArcGIS Online. ... View more

A new article in ArcNews entitled Four Guidelines for the New GIS Professional not only offers insights for those new to the field of GIS, but also for educators who teach the subject and who use it as a tool to teach history, geography, earth science, and other subjects. The article identifies four strategies that can ensure that a GIS professional remains at the forefront of this profession:  (1)  Build a strong platform; (2)  Extend the platform across the organization; (3) Leverage existing GIS investments; and (4)  Be active in the GIS community.  I believe that educators can use the "building and extending the platform" strategies as an encouragement to spread spatial thinking and GIS beyond their own classroom walls.  If you are at a university or community college, that might mean giving a few presentations each academic year to colleagues across campus, in history, language arts, biology, or another discipline that is maybe a bit outside your comfort zone.  Spatial thinking has a way of bringing diverse disciplines together around the "whys of where", solving problems, and providing career pathways for students.  If you are at a primary or secondary school, it might mean a presentation at a faculty meeting where you discuss why you are using GIS in your instruction, or having your students discuss their work at a school assembly, or conducting a hands-on workshop for educators in another school or the neighboring school district. Leveraging existing GIS investments implies that, like anything worthwhile in education, teaching with GIS requires time and effort. These efforts will be longer lasting and more impactful on students if they are conducted in collaboration with your education colleagues on your campus or in your school district, or with colleagues far away who share similar interests.  And finally, being active in the GIS community is important for geospatial educators, to garner support for your efforts from administrators, to share instructional practices, data, maps, and apps, and to share your stories so that others will be inspired to use these approaches and tools in their own instruction.The article points out four ways that the "GIS technology ecosystem" is rapidly changing, including cloud-based GIS, the widespread use of web mapping, the increasing adoption of open data, and the app revolution.  What do these and other changes mean for the GIS educator? The article reminds us that this is an exciting time in GIS.  New applications and a growing awareness of the power of GIS are accelerating the need for skilled people in this field. Web mapping and visualization have opened the world's eyes to the power of the spatial visualization of information and are transforming how people understand the world.  You, as a GIS educator, are key in making this happen, by enabling students to visualize, question, analyze, and interpret our world. Visualize, question, analyze, and interpret: Four key parts of teaching and learning with GIS. ... View more

One theme that we frequently discuss in teaching and learning with GIS is that maps are representations of reality.  To be sure, they are very useful representations of reality, but they are representations nonetheless, laden with meaning, different possibilities for interpretation, and yes, some distortions and error.  In the fast-paced world that GIS analysis and creating maps has become, it is easy to lose sight of these representation fundamentals when we have maps and imagery at our fingertips, at multiple scales and over multiple themes.In a video, I discuss just one place where care needs to be made in interpreting maps.  In the video, observe my surroundings as I stand near the traditional “line” that divides the deciduous forest to the south from the coniferous forest to the north in North America.  On most maps, this is indeed shown as a line.  However, consider the following:  Is the “line” really a line at all, or is it better described as a gradual change from deciduous to coniferous as one travels north? Is that vector line then better symbolized as a “zone”, or is vegetation better mapped as a raster data set, with each cell representing the percentage of deciduous and coniferous trees in that cell? How many other data sets do we tend to see as having firm boundaries, when the boundaries in reality are far from being "firm"?  How does that affect the decisions we make with them?  Even the boundary between wetlands and open water were originally interpreted based on land cover data or a satellite or aerial image.   In another example, as stated in the GIS and Public Domain Data book, contour lines are not surveyed lines, but rather are interpreted, often from aerial stereo pairs.  And each data set that we can analyze with maps was collected at a specific scale, with certain equipment and software, at a specific date, and within certain margins of error that the organization established. Maps are representations of reality.  They are some of the most useful tools ever invented, but care needs to be taken when using this or any abstracted data.  How might you be able to use these examples and considerations for "teachable moments" in your own instruction to foster critical thinking? Maps as representations of reality: The deciduous-coniferous tree "line". ... View more

The two most important qualities I believe that we seek in job applicants is:  Be Yourself, and Be Curious.  What do I mean? Be Yourself means being honest about your own job and personal strengths and your own weaknesses, or areas that you are seeking to improve.  Don’t pretend in an interview to be anything you’re not.  Be Curious means asking questions.  This means to ask questions at the interview, of course.  But beyond the interview, on the job and while you are still in school, ask lots of questions. Be curious about the world.  Good questions lead to good investigations. Investigate and solve problems.  If you don’t have some of the skills needed to solve those problems, acquire and practice those skills. About 5,000 people work at my company, Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute).   Our headquarters is in southern California (Redlands), we have 10 regional offices in the USA and some smaller satellite offices, and more than 80 worldwide distributor offices.   We are the largest Geographic Information Systems (GIS) organization in the world and as such receive a lot of applications for every job we post.  If you are serious about making a positive difference on our planet with GIS, I encourage you to gain those skills and consider applying at Esri‌ or another organization that fits your own personal ethos! Esri headquarters building, Redlands, California, USA. ... View more

Building on past field investigations where I studied the spatial accuracy of GPS receivers and smartphone location apps, I recently compared the spatial accuracy of two location apps on a smartphone.   My goals were twofold:  (1) To determine which of two location apps was more spatially accurate in varied terrain and conditions; and (2) To model a field activity that integrates geography, science, and mathematics that students can engage in easily and effectively. On a hike in the chaparral hills of Southern California, I used my smartphone to collect my tracks using two apps--Motion X GPS and RunKeeper--at the same time.  Once the hike was done, I then exported the track lines and points as GPX files and uploaded them into ArcGIS Online.  The results, shown below, indicate that the two tracks were quite similar; within 1 meter of each other.  I was pleased with the spatial accuracy of both, despite the very steep terrain and considering that the phone was in my pocket most of the time rather than held up high to capture a theoretically stronger set of GPS and cell tower signals. It was also evident that in this location, on this day, RunKeeper was a bit more spatially accurate, doing better at maintaining the trail switchbacks as I walked rather than cutting them off.   At one switchback, the two tracks were separated by 4.5 meters.  However, just downhill and to the northeast of the image below, Motion X was more accurate for a specific 10 meter stretch of trail.  It must be remembered, however, that these statements "assume" that the satellite image is the best benchmark of spatial accuracy, but it too contains distortions and error.  Furthermore, on a different day and time, with the GPS constellation in a different array, my results could vary.  Varying the speed walked, the time and date, the location app, the location at which the phone is held, the type of phone, and other factors all make for easy-to-implement field investigations that incorporate science, mathematics, geography, and geotechnologies.  And, while outside, you can have rich discussions on land use, land cover, natural processes, access to open space, animal habitat, climate and weather, and much more, as I do here.  The results are easily examined using ArcGIS Online, and students can also create a presentation or a story map in ArcGIS Online to communicate their results. Give it a try and comment below on the results of your investigations! Comparing the spatial accuracy of two smartphone location apps in the field. ... View more

Teaching about watersheds and river systems has long been a major theme of physical geography, earth science, and environmental science instruction.  ArcGIS Online now provides capabilities for educators and students to create watersheds, trace downstream, and create viewsheds, all of which can serve as an effective means to foster understanding of watersheds and river systems, how they are connected geographically and temporally, and why they are important. Boulder, Colorado, like many mountain-front communities, is prone to periodic devastating floods.  To supplement a lesson that I wrote about floods in Boulder, I used the watershed tool in ArcGIS Online to create the watershed that is drained in Boulder Creek through the mouth of Boulder Canyon.  The area is 130.12 square miles, giving a clear reason why any major rapid snowmelt or any major rain event anywhere in that large area creates flood hazards for the city of Boulder. Watershed upstream from Boulder Colorado. Where does that water flow once it reaches Boulder?  To find out, I used the new Trace Downstream tool with a 15 mile limit.  The result makes it clear that the areas east and northeast of the city also bear the effects of potential floodwaters. Trace 15 miles downstream from the mouth of Boulder Canyon, Colorado. Using the same tool, I ran another Trace Downstream analysis and extended the distance to 3,000 miles.  The result, shown below, fits in well with the lesson but also in any lesson that asks students, "where does a cup of water flowing from my location flow through before it reaches the ocean?" Trace from Boulder Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico. Finally, to get a sense for how the terrain in Boulder is mountainous to the west of the mouth of the canyon but flattens to the Great Plains to the east, I used the new Create Viewsheds tool from a point on top of Green Mountain, above the famous Boulder Flatiron rock formations.  The viewshed, as the name implies, indicates the land viewable from a specific point, and in my case, I specified nine miles for the extent. The result of viewshed analysis can foster understanding of the terrain and how the terrain impacts streamflow and flooding. Nine-mile Viewshed from Green Mountain. These activities require an ArcGIS Online organizational subscription and to generate the analysis layers such as the ones I did above, you need to have publishing rights in that organization.  With your organizational subscription, examine the map I created above, and try these tools yourself for your own area! You'll be amazed at how easy it is, and yet how powerful, because these tools can foster understanding of how streams, watersheds, and terrain are connected spatially and temporally. ... View more

Learning to Learn from Data: GIS Connections. How can GIS encourage and foster critical thinking skills about data? ... View more

We receive many inquiries about how GIS and spatial thinking can be used with primary (elementary) aged students.  In honor of GIS Day and Geography Awareness Week being upon us, I thought it would be the perfect time to highlight a few ideas and resources that you could use to develop and apply spatial thinking skills. We have always advocated (1) that the most appropriate tool be used for the objective at hand; and (2) spatial thinking skills are developed through a variety of means, methods, settings, and media.  These include the appropriate use of ArcGIS Online, for example, to examine world biomes, the locations and growth of cities, land use and demography of their local community, population change by country, the frequency and distribution of earthquakes and other natural hazards, the shape and size of watersheds, and so on.  A selective use of the ArcGIS Online presentation mode, for example, to foster students as "map detectives" can be used effectively, as I have done with this "Name That Place" presentation and with another entitled "Weird Earth." However, fostering spatial thinking at young ages in particular needs to use all five senses, and needs to include outdoor experiences.  Using globes, mapping trees on campus, watching videos about scale coupled with measuring objects around school and the perimeter of the school building are just a few activities that can be effectively used.  I am a firm believer in fostering spatial thinking using tactile-based activities such as this lesson I developed that asks students to create a thematic map on a translucent sheet of paper based on ArcGIS Online imagery, described here and in video form here.   Another tried-and-true lesson is to ask students to draw a map of their classroom, and, depending on the students' age, incorporating map scale.  Another simple but powerful activity I have used during hundreds of school visits over the past 20 years is to ask the students to draw an outline of the school building, as it would look from above, orienting it according to cardinal directions, and labeling the different sections of the building and school grounds.  Then, I ask students to check their maps against the imagery in ArcGIS Online and discuss differences and similarities and the reasons for them. Creating a thematic map from a satellite image. Our colleagues in education and industry continue to create a rich body of resources.  For example, Barbaree Duke created a series of language-arts based activities, some of which can be used in primary school.  The 20 Minute GIS for Young Explorers curriculum from GISetc spans multiple disciplines and though rich in content, each can truly be taught in 20 minutes. Finally, exploring history, geography, art, science, mathematics, and other disciplines can be easily done through studying the gallery of storymaps or ... having the students make their own storymap.  Other ideas exist on the GIS Day website.  I've run out of space.  What are your ideas for fostering spatial thinking at young ages? ... View more

I have created 5 new geography-based lessons and 5 new mathematics-based lessons and placed them in 2 galleries in ArcGIS Online.  All 10 lessons are geared toward Grade 6, but can be modified for primary or for upper secondary school.  All are based on ArcGIS Online and can be used without logging in; they are designed to introduce students to spatial thinking while focusing on core geography and mathematics standards and content. The geography lessons include investigations of volcanoes, rivers, oceans, cities, and agriculture, while the mathematics lessons ask students to study demographics, temperature extremes, earthquakes, the shape of the Earth, and latitude-longitude. Each lesson is grounded in educational content standards, and takes advantage of the ArcGIS Online live web mapping environment to foster critical thinking, problem-based learning, and inquiry. For example, the earthquake activity's introductory questions include, "Can you apply the principles of probability to real-world events and data?  Can you compare and interpret information using maps, databases, and timelines so that you can better understand earthquakes over space and time?"  Mathematics standards embedded in this activity include:  (1)  Describe and order simple events using familiar language, and describe and compare the likelihood of future real-life events using 0, less than ½, ½, more than ½, 1. (2)  Understand, explain, and use the probability of earthquakes at the global, regional, and local scale.  (3) Describe and compare the likelihood of future real-life events (earthquakes) at the global, regional, and local scale.  (4)  Understand, explain, and use the place value of positive numbers of any size.  (5)  Round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, and 1000 and justify rounding in terms of closeness to the number.  (6)  Order and compare whole numbers of any size in ascending and descending order.  (7)  Select and apply an appropriate numeracy strategy to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems and justify the choice of strategy.  (8)  Add and subtract decimal numbers with the same and different number of decimal places.  (9) Investigate the units for time and convert between them, and (10)  Draw and interpret timelines to record events. The other activities are similarly grounded in solid content, and foster key skills and the spatial perspective. I encourage you to try the lessons, but also to consider using galleries in ArcGIS Online to serve your own activities.  The gallery presents students with a convenient "one-stop shop" to access content.  Galleries point to a group containing the content that you wish to show, and are easy to set up, as this video explains.  And as you can see from the two galleries I set up here, they can point to more than just web maps. In the case of my galleries, I point to PDFs of the lessons, and in each PDF is a link to the web map that the students are to open to begin their investigations.  Try it! Gallery of Mathematics Lessons in ArcGIS Online. A new Geography gallery exists as well. ... View more

I was intrigued by a recent article by a director at Teach for All, Nicholas Enna, who listed 10 skills the workforce of the future will need.  As I was reading the article, I could not help but see the connections between the 10 skills and the tenets that we in the GIS education community hold dear. The first skill identified is that "They will need to know how to create new worlds."  Modeling the real world's complexities has been a mainstay of GIS, and more recently, GIS has been used to envision and plan the future, such as in the emerging field of geodesign.  The second skill identified is that "They will need to think holistically."  By seeing the spatial and temporal connections to such things as watersheds, human settlement, natural hazards, soils, weather patterns, landforms, and land use, students using GIS are required to think holistically about communities, regions, and the planet. The fourth skill, that "they will turn information into matter and matter into base information on the fly," is also relevant to teaching and learning with GIS.  Students turn data from text, tables, images, videos, and spatial data layers into information to make a decision, whether it is for the optimal site for a new wind farm or library, or areas of unstable slopes near a ski area.  They become critical thinkers about the data and information that they create. Skill number 8, that "They will all be data analysts," is at the heart of working with GIS.  As my colleague Charlie Fitzpatrick wrote, GIS is a "thinker's tool."  It requires analyzing data from a variety of sources, time periods, scales, and themes to make sense of a problem and begin to address its pertinent issues.   Data is messy and unpredictable, but the students who are not afraid to dig into and analyze data will be well positioned for the workplace. The number 9 skill identified by the author is that, "The ability to tell a good story will be valued over spreadsheets, graphs, and data points."  For thousands of years, maps have been used to tell stories because of their compact nature but rich content.  Digital maps offer all of the advantages of paper maps and much more.  Students can create presentations in ArcGIS Online, story maps, embed multimedia into their maps, and embed the maps into web pages. Finally, the author's number 10 skill identified that "Our future workforce must be ready to become "shallow experts" very quickly on many different types of software, platforms, and services" in some ways connects very well to GIS.  While I do believe that an immersion in GIS cannot be shallow if one wants to use it effectively, I have observed countless times that GIS is a holistic set of skills.  Using GIS requires that students have skills in a wide variety of computer and non-computer skills, as identified by the Geospatial Technology Competency Model and others. How could you use this list of 10 skills to make the case for the use of GIS in education? ... View more

Got #Geography? My Online course begins next week! 5 weeks long. Includes hands on work with web mapping tools.  http://blogs.esri.com/esri/gisedcom/2014/10/10/teaching-geography-in-the-21st-century-an-online-course-offering-2/ … https://twitter.com/josephkerski/status/520580691684122624 ... View more

Register now for the http://citizenscienceassociation.org for the Feb 2015 Citizen Science Association first EVER conference ! # citizenscience ... View more

Nice MapJournal made by Swedish 14-yr-olds in Spanish class. http://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/?appid=b37df9a2109f4e98a2807ea2634d9b5f … ... View more

http://spatialreserves.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/mapping-forgotten-places/ …  Mapping forgotten places.  New post on Spatial Reserves blog.  @ jillaclark # gis # maps ... View more