ArcSchool Reader

Welcome to ArcSchool Reader, a periodic e-newsletter from the ESRI education team. Each issue provides a quick glimpse of software news; user stories; reminders; and hints about tools, data, and support covering the use of GIS technology in elementary and secondary schools (K-12 education).

In This Issue

• Software News
• Data News
• Support News
• User News
• Calendar: Key Events

Software News

ArcGIS 9.3
ArcGIS 9.3 - the latest version of ESRI's tools for server, desktop, and mobile clients - generated tremendous excitement at the ESRI Education User Conference and ESRI International User Conference in August. Powerful new capacities in each product open significant opportunities for users in schools, such as generating geospatial PDFs with ArcGIS Desktop applications, distributing KML files from ArcGIS Server, or synching field data on the fly with ArcGIS Mobile, and provide direct links to the relevant resource centers in each tool. See what the excitement was about at the User Conference and learn more about what's new in ArcGIS 9.3.

ArcGIS Explorer
Important capacities are available in ArcGIS Explorer 500, the latest release! This free, downloadable, 3D geographic data browser now supports GeoRSS feeds as well as ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, and Web Map Server (WMS). It can access premium services from data providers. It provides even stronger KML support plus graticule support and the ability to display reference grids. At the ESRI International User Conference, users were also treated to a glimpse of the exciting developments coming in ArcGIS Explorer 600. Check out all the entries on the ArcGIS Explorer blog and the EdCommunity Blog, then download the latest version!

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Data News

ArcGIS Online
Ever long for easy-to-add data that you can just plop into an ArcMap session? ArcGIS Online is just that! A collection of online basemaps, imagery, and overlays, including both complimentary services and premium subscription content, is at your fingertips. ArcGIS Online standard services are available at no cost to ArcGIS users for internal use or for noncommercial external use (see licensing summary). For ArcGIS Desktop users, there are .mxd files (ArcMap projects), .lyr files (layer files), and .3dd files (ArcGlobe projects). ArcGIS Explorer users can access different .nmf files as projects, layers, tasks, and results.

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Support News

Resource Centers
One of the great new elements of ArcGIS 9.3 is the ready access to resource centers. The resource centers help you use the tools better by providing quick access to online instruction, content, customizations, Web help, and support. The ArcGIS Desktop Resource Center can be accessed from the File menu of ArcMap 9.3 or the help menus of ArcCatalog 9.3 and ArcMap 9.3.

Our World GIS Education
Our World GIS Education, the new book series by ESRI Press, helps educators introduce and extend GIS education into primary, secondary, and postsecondary curricula while providing students with the tools to build spatial thinking, analysis, and decision-making skills. Each book includes ESRI software, GIS data, exercises, lessons, and more. The books are arranged by levels (1-4), from basic to more advanced instruction. www.esri.com/ourworldgiseducation.com

Getting Started with GIS - Complimentary Web Course
A new complimentary course is available for people with no GIS background or experience who want to use ArcGIS Desktop (ArcView, ArcEditor, or ArcInfo 9.2 or 9.3) to learn the basic features of GIS and the geographic approach to solving problems. Users learn how GIS maps are different from other types of digital maps and how to use ArcGIS software to obtain information, create thematic maps, and apply common analysis tools to solve geographic problems. For a detailed course description and access to the course, visit ESRI Training and Education.

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User News

Special Achievement in GIS Awards at the ESRI User Conference
One of the highlights at the ESRI User Conference is the presentation of the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Awards. Recipients come from all over the planet and represent users in all walks of life, big and small. Each recipient organization gets a special plaque and a picture with ESRI president Jack Dangermond. This year, ESRI presented Special Achievement in GIS Awards to Forsyth County (Georgia) School District and Glynn County (Georgia) 4-H Pirates. Forsyth County has established a powerful districtwide administrative analysis process coupled with a series of integrated applications. The Glynn County 4-H team has given presentations across the southeast to help counties prepare for emergency evacuations. Congratulations!

Plan Now for the 2009 ESRI Education User Conference
Make plans for summer 2009? Already? Yes! The ESRI Education User Conference (EdUC) and ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC) are shifting into mid-July, where they will anchor for years to come - no more early August or mid-June! It's also time to start thinking about making a presentation at the 2009 conference. Check out the highlights from 2008 and start planning for 2009 at the ESRI EdUC and ESRI International User Conference web pages.

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