{"id":2485,"date":"2013-09-10T14:52:09","date_gmt":"2013-09-10T21:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/insider\/?p=2485"},"modified":"2013-09-10T14:52:09","modified_gmt":"2013-09-10T21:52:09","slug":"making-the-most-of-the-arcgis-platform-in-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"insider","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/insider\/making-the-most-of-the-arcgis-platform-in-higher-education","title":{"rendered":"Making the Most of the ArcGIS Platform in Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aaron Addison, Director of Data Services & GIS at Washington University in St. Louis, sent a provocative message to Esri\u2019s \u201chighered-l\u201d listserv recently. His subject line was \u201cWhat to teach from ArcGIS platform?\u201d \u201cI have been involved with GIS instruction for over 20 years,\u201d Aaron wrote, \u201cand never have I been less clear where a newcomer to the field of GIS should concentrate their skills.\u201d
\nIt\u2019s a good question, especially in light of the emerging centrality of ArcGIS Online as both GIS software-as-a service and a geospatial content management system. Here Esri\u2019s Education Team responds with a vision of how today\u2019s ArcGIS platform can be used to support introductory, intermediate, and advanced GIS education at the college level.
\nThe audience we have in mind is faculty members at higher education institutions who offer one or more classes about GIS and related geospatial technologies. Some are relatively large-enrolling introductory classes meant to raise awareness about GIS and related geospatial technologies. Others are smaller, intermediate- and advanced-level classes designed to prepare students for careers involving GIS use and application development. Rather than a linear uphill climb, we suggest that the progression from introductory to advanced GIS education be considered a circle that expands progressively to encompass more and more of the diverse software ecosystem that is contemporary GIS technology.
\nSeveral contributors to this vision statement have first-hand experience as college and university educators. We\u2019re keenly aware that there can be no one-size-fits-all solution to curriculum design or supporting technology. The right curriculum and mix of technologies for a particular institution depends upon its mission; the disciplinary setting in which GIS education is to take place; faculty size, abilities, and interests; infrastructure and support available; and of course student characteristics, prior experience, and goals. With this in mind, our intent is to stimulate imagination and discussion, not to prescribe a single generic, decontextualized solution.
\nThough caveats abound, Aaron\u2019s question still deserves a considered response. Our recommendation is the progressive exposure to the ArcGIS platform outlined below. The outline begins with a focus on ArcGIS Online, adds ArcGIS for Desktop at the intermediate level, and expands to encompass the broad GIS technology ecosystem \u2013 which includes but is not limited to the ArcGIS platform \u2013 at the advanced level.
\nThree things about this progression may differ from educators\u2019 current conceptions and practices.<\/p>\n

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  1. We suggest that ArcGIS Online is an appropriate technology for introductory GIS education, especially since it incorporated basic spatial analysis functions earlier this year. ArcGIS Online enables novice students to find, create, analyze, and share web maps, but doesn\u2019t require access to specialized GIS lab facilities.<\/li>\n
  2. We suggest that ArcGIS for Desktop be used as an intermediate and advanced tool for students who aspire to GIS-related careers, generally not as a tool to introduce novice students to GIS.<\/li>\n
  3. We suggest advanced-level tools and tasks that emphasize software and application development, which is an essential aspect of much professional GIS work today.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    We offer these suggestions as respectful advice, not a sales pitch. In fact, a large majority of higher education institutions that teach GIS already have Esri education site licenses. Education site licensees are entitled to ArcGIS Online subscription accounts at no extra charge, as are licensees who maintain inexpensive ArcGIS for Desktop Lab Paks (up to 31 users) and Lab Kits (one or more users). Thus, thousands of higher education institutions worldwide already have access to most or all of the technologies we suggest.
    \nFor each level we suggest examples of the kinds of tasks students could be expected to perform with the specified technologies. We do not attempt an exhaustive inventory of the activities learners could do with each technology. Furthermore, the levels don\u2019t correspond to individual courses; one or more college courses could and probably should be implemented at each level.
    \n1. Introductory level: Online <\/strong><\/p>\n