Lab 1: Cloud GIS Basics

Goal and Background

            This introductory lab exercise was created with the goal of introducing students to the basic functionalities of web maps from the perspective on an end user. The lab also introduced students to creating a simple web map using ArcGIS Online. Finally, students were able to create a story map using ArcGIS Online’s story map builder. ArcGIS Online is available to the public through the use of a public account, but students were able to use additional functionalities of the service through the use of an enterprise account owned by the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.

Methods

            First, students were instructed to explore the functionalities of a web map using an example already created on ArcGIS Online. The web map in question is an interactive map of lava flow risk zones on the island of Hawaii. These instructions were modified from ESRI’s own tutorial of web maps, and were simply a basic introduction on how to navigate a web map and what web maps can do.

           

            Next, students got to create their own web maps. First, students had to add a basemap to their web map. The topographic basemap was used, because it shows some of the local topography as well as useful labels such as cities and roads. Next, they were instructed on how to add the necessary layers to the map by searching for layers in ArcGIS Online. Once all of the layers were added, the students had to set the properties of all the layers. The properties had to be edited so that the layers worked together to successfully convey the message of the map while still being aesthetically pleasing. Without any property editing, the layers do not work well together and some of them cannot be seen well. Once the editing process is finished, pop ups are enabled that produce information about individual roads or volcanoes when they are clicked on. Finally, students were able to spend some time experimenting with the web map to make it their own.

           

            Finally, students were able to create a story map using ArcGIS Online’s story map builder. These story maps, once published, can be viewed by anyone with access to the internet. The creation of a story map used skills learned and explored in previous sections of the exercise. Normally, the creator of a story map must provide their own images and information to be placed into the story map, but for the sake of this exercise, images and information were provided from the GEOG 368 field trip to Texas in spring 2013. The students were instructed to sign into ArcGIS Online and open the story map tour template. Story map tour includes a slideshow of geotagged images, so that the location of the image is shown on the map when it is viewed, bringing the viewer on a “tour” of the images. All of the images were uploaded to the story map template and the information for each image was added to the interface. With geotagged images, coordinates do not have to be added, as they are in the metadata of the images. For this exercise, the images were not geotagged, so the coordinates had to be added manually for each image. Once these steps were completed and the application was launched, the story map could be viewed from the perspective of a user, and should seamlessly take the user on a tour of the image locations while also showing the images and their descriptions. The students then had the option to save a link to share the story map anywhere, or to share the story map on ArcGIS Online either through UW-Eau Claire Geography and Anthropology or to the public.

Results

            Below is a screenshot of the story map created in this exercise, as well as a link so that it may be explored in its full functionality (Figure 1).

Figure 1: A Story map created for this exercise of the GEOG 368 field trip to Texas in spring 2013. http://uwec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=568780befdfe439c8f8f49f2747fd7c0

            The story map application is a useful tool to tell a story to end users, because as well as providing information about the story being told, it also shows photographs in the exact locations in which they were taken. Hearing a story is a very different experience when there is some locational context to accompany it. These elements combined provide an interesting and entertaining experience for the end user, and can provide a learning experience as well.

Sources

Image Credit: GEOG 368 spring 2013

Web map and story map builder: www.arcgisonline.com

Final story map: http://uwec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=568780befdfe439c8f8f49f2747fd7c0