ArcUser
Fall 2011 Edition
My Top 10 from the 2011 EdUC and Esri UC
By Joseph Kerski, Esri Education Manager
This article as a PDF.
It has become a tradition at the last several Esri User Conferences for some of the plenary presenters to give their top 10 favorite enhancements to ArcGIS software and its extensions. As I await my flight departing San Diego from this year's Esri Education User Conference (EdUC) and Esri International User Conference (Esri UC), I would like to offer my top 10.
- The ability to drag and drop files in text, comma-separated values, Microsoft Excel, and Esri shapefile format from your computer to ArcGIS Online is incredibly easy and powerful.
- A close second is the new ability to thematically map data in ArcGIS Online using a graduated symbol or graduated color.
- I enjoyed and learned from my colleagues who participated in the EdUC plenary. I used ArcGIS Online's presentation capabilities to give my section of the EdUC plenary keynote. It worked very well, and it is a wonderful educational tool.
- We had an excellent discussion at the curriculum development Special Interest Group meeting on Sunday. Innovative projects were shared by many in attendance. We also had a number of math educators this year. We discussed the Spatial Math library on ArcLessons and discussed what else needs to be developed for math educators.
- Once again I absolutely loved meeting and hearing about the projects from the 4-H students. They are an inspiration, and many of them were only freshmen in high school. Think of what they will be doing by the time they graduate!
- The Esri UC plenary was once again my favorite day, seeing on the big stage and screen the new capabilities of the software, including the use of lidar and Landsat data; the vision shared by Jack Dangermond and others, and the inspiring work done by the Rwanda coffee project leaders, the European Environment Agency, and the student and teacher from Clark Magnet High School.
- I love the fact that the plenary videos are online. Please consider attending Esri UC and EdUC in 2012. It truly is a life-changing experience.
- My colleagues and I had wonderful, deep discussions with people who stopped at our Education Island in the exhibit hall. I wish everyone on the planet who wonders how geography and GIS are applicable to our world could spend time in the exhibit hall and Map Gallery. Within five minutes, they will understand!
- The Academic Program Fair on Monday night was a terrific time of networking and learning, and even included a high school this year, Piner High School in Santa Rosa.
- As I reflect on the energy, expertise, and vision of the 14,000 who gathered this week, I am greatly encouraged. People using GIS are truly changing the world in positive ways! Will you make plans to attend the 2012 EdUC and Esri UC?
