ArcUser
Fall 2011 Edition
Learning Skills to Solve Challenging Problems
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The lessons in the second edition of Making Spatial Decisions Using GIS: A Workbook reflect the work performed by GIS professionals because they focus on using a workflow that revolves around the problem-solving process. Unlike other GIS books that include exercises, this book explains not only how to use GIS but also how to accomplish useful work with GIS. Its focus on identifying the problem to be solved, working systematically, documenting processes, and evaluating the work produced makes it more valuable than many other tutorial books.
The exercises are grouped around the use of GIS for local decision making relating to emergencies, understanding demographics, law enforcement analysis and planning, hurricane response, and urban planning. In each section, two projects are supplied by the authors, and the third will be supplied by the student. Each section can stand on its own, so modules can be assigned or worked in any order.
This book assumes a basic understanding of ArcGIS 10. A DVD containing data for the exercises and instructor resources is included. A 180-day trial of ArcGIS 10 for Desktop can be downloaded to work the exercises.
The first edition of this book, part of the Our World GIS Education series published by Esri Press, won the 2008 Geographic Excellence in Media award from the National Council for Geographic Education.
The authors, Kathryn Keranen and Robert Kolvoord, have extensive experience teaching this topic. Keranen, a retired teacher who was instrumental in introducing GPS, GIS, and remote sensing into the geosystems curriculum in Fairfax County, Virginia, schools, is currently a private consultant, an authorized K–12 Esri instructor, and adjunct professor at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Kolvoord is a professor of integrated science and technology at James Madison University. At the University of Arizona, he was a founder of the nonprofit Center for Image Processing in Education. He has given workshops and presentations around the world on using data visualization technology in education. Esri Press, 2011, 172 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1589482807
