Online workshops
GRAIL online workshops are intended for anyone wishing to learn about geospatial processes and applications. In particular, these workshops were designed to provide contemporary technological resources for the educational community. Each workshop and their accompanying modules are designed to be integrated into existing curriculum and are appropriate for grades K-12 as well as university courses. In addition to the GRAIL labs, these workshops are available anytime from anywhere that has online access.
Organization and software
Each workshop starts with an introductory module, which is followed by exercises designed to reinforce the concepts and techniques presented by the workshop. There is some overlap of material among the workshops, so you may see the same concept or exercise more than once as you progress through the workshops.
All of the workshop modules were created using PowerPoint 2007, so most of the exercises require only Microsoft Office 2007 (or later) and some free downloadable programs. ArcGIS at the ArcInfo license level is required for some of the higher level modules and exercises contained in the following workshops: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, The 15 Minute Map, and Designing a Community or Campus Based GIS.
NAU users can access ArcGIS by connecting to a campus Virtual Lab. If you do not have access to ArcGIS, you can try to substitute ArcGIS with open source GIS programs such as MapWindow GIS or Quantum GIS. It is not known if these programs will work for the ArcGIS exercises, and you will have to translate the instructions yourself. Because spatial technology can change quickly, it is possible that items such as addresses locators and geodatabases will not translate to newer versions of software. Please contact us, if you find something out of date in the workshops.
Before you get started, it is recommended that you print out the notes page, a page of instructions and guidelines, contained in each of the following PowerPoint files. Finally, please keep all this in mind that GIS and related disciplines are part of the ever changing world of technology and there is quite a bit of integration with the internet and cloud technology.
Workshops and modules
Introduction to geographic information systems (GIS)
- Module 1: Everything you wanted to know about GIS but didn’t
- Module 2: An easy & simple first GIS project
- Module 3: A basic ArcGIS project
- Module 4: Raster and vector in ArcGIS
- Support File: Module 4, Jackalope Burrows table from GPS
- Support File: Module 4, Crescent Lake “recent” aerial photo (large file)
- Optional Support Files Package: Module 3
- Optional Support Files Package: Module 4
Introduction to global positioning systems (GPS)
- Module 1: What makes up a GPS and how it works (Video Links (36 minutes): Windows Media Player, Quicktime, and Ipod)
- Module 2: GRAIL’s GPS adventures, geocaching, and the GPS spy adventure (Video Links (31 minutes): Windows Media Player, Quicktime, and Ipod)
- Activity Sheet: GRAIL’s in town GPS adventure
- Activity Sheet: GRAIL’s wilderness GPS adventure
The 15-minute map
- Module 1: What makes a map and tools to create
- Module 2: An easy map with Google Earth
- Module 3: A map with simple and free GIS software
- Module 4: A quick map with ArcGIS
- Optional Support Files Package: Module 4
What is GIS and how can I use it in my teaching and profession?
- Module 1: How you can apply GIS to almost anything & what makes it tick
- Module 2: Some quick methods for using your project data & Google Earth
- Module 3: An easy map with Google Earth
- Module 4: Intro to GIS software via ArcGIS Explorer
- Support App: Module 2 (Beta version in zipped folder)
Understanding map projections
Metadata
Designing a community- or campus-based GIS
- Module 1: What a community or campus GIS is
- Module 2: Building the GIS
- Module 3: Adding more character to the community
- Module 4: Details, polish, and publishing
- Support Files Package: Community/campus GIS workshop