Miller Week 1

Hi, my name is Evan Miller. I am a senior, and I just finished taking GEOG 291, and am eager to learn more about GEOG 292. Below is some information on what I did and what I learned:

I first started by looking into the basics of the website. I have briefly used the GIS online website before in GEOG 291, so it is a good way to refresh what I have already learned.Ā  One thing that I learned is that you can link GIS online accounts. Another thing that I learned is that there are specific training courses on GIS Online, which I found quite interesting.

The next step that I took for this weekā€™s assignment was to read over what the overall purpose of the GIS Online website is about. One thing that was new information was that you can create maps on the website. Since I took GEOG 291, I thought the main purpose of GIS Pro was to make maps. However, it seems as if you can also do similar things on GIS Online compared to GIS Pro. Another thing that I learned was that GIS Online promotes work in the field, as that can be one of the many ways to collect data for potential projects on the website.

The final part of this weekā€™s content that I worked on was completing the GIS Online basics tutorial. One of the many things that I learned was that there are different ways to sign in. The three ways one can sign in is through an organization, as a public user, or as a social user. In order to gain the most access to what GIS online has to offer, then the organizational login would be the most ideal. A public user can still create content, while a social viewer can only view content. Another thing that I learned is that there are three ways to upload layers, which are through the website directly, with local files, and through sketch layers.

Nagel Week 1

Introduction:

I imagine that since this is the follow up to 291 that most of us are already acquainted but just to recap my name is Chris. I’m a senior and a ENVS major/Zoo minor. While 291 wasn’t my favorite class, I still found parts of it interesting. Also just as in 291, I completely missed the email which would give me access to post on the site at first and spent around 30 minutes trying to figure out what I did wrong until I found the email with the invite link…

Poking Around:

I had already poked around a bit previously in 291 so I’m slightly familiar.

  • Not sure what counted as ‘basic info’ so I just reiterated what I said in the introduction in the bio
  • Going to ‘My Esri’ it seems that I need to obtain permission from an ‘administrator’, that I imagine being Dr. Krygier. Not sure if that’ll pose an issue down the line but I don’t think so as it seems to only be connected to viewing information regarding the ‘organization’.
  • It is interesting to see how there is an entire dedicated forum and community revolving around the software. I shouldn’t be surprised that there is but still.

Reading:

  • It seems as if the website has a lot in common with the ArcGIS software in regards to functionality and features
  • Much of the website seems to be dedicated to the sharing of information with others, both inside and outside the ‘organization’.

Online Training

  • Training is helpful and provides more context on new info
  • Did not feel like it took two hours to complete despite what the average time said
  • Quizzes were not terribly difficult

Applications:

One application I found for the use of the ArcOnline software was that being utilized by the US Department of Transportation for the analysis and mapping of vehicle noise emissions, such as those created by commercial aircraft.

https://hub.arcgis.com/documents/usdot::2018-noise-data/about

Another application I found was the mapping of protected marine zones for use by anglers in California

https://cdfw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c00c82e1f32a49e99c747e2411e3439e

Hagans Week 1

My name is Carsyn Hagans, and Iā€™m a sophomore biology and environmental science major! I just got done with GIS 291, so Iā€™m excited to see how this course goes.

When I was poking around ArcGIS, I noticed that it has links to a lot of different apps, and I remember from last semester that ArcGIS Online can be used for a variety of things. Also, there appears to be a pretty big online community that uses ArcGIS Online, and when I opened up the Blog and the Forum, there were a lot of posts and information about GIS, which would be helpful to anyone using the website that had questions.Ā 

When I looked through the Getting Started section, I noticed that while ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online seem to have similar features, ArcGIS Online looks a little more modern and user-friendly, in my opinion. Because the online version can be done on a laptop, it is also nice to know I can use the Macbook keyboard shortcuts that I am used to. Another thing that I found interesting in the Getting Started section was the How to Visualize Weather section. This section talks about the different ways you can manipulate your scenes to show different weather effects, which seems like a very cool feature. Throughout this entire section, I mainly learned that there are so many ways to use ArcGIS Online to reach a diverse audience.Ā 

When I completed the intro course, a lot of it was either similar to how we created maps in 291, so I remembered it well, or I remembered it slightly from when we actually used ArcGIS Online. It was interesting to learn about some of the more specific ways that you can share web maps with specific people or groups, and it is nice that the Sharing tool is easy to manipulate. Also, it was interesting to see how ArcGIS Online is a little more limited in its capabilities than Pro, but it is still a very useful tool. Here’s my certificate šŸ™‚

One interesting way I found (on Google) that people have used ArcGIS Online is to map the distributions of reefs. Because reefs are so sensitive to temperature changes, lots of organizations are keeping a close eye on their health. People have used ArcGIS Online to map how reefs have become bleached and what their current conditions are. This is very useful for scientists or conservationists because it allows them to target their conservation efforts to one location that is at the most risk. Interestingly, I found a live feed of coral reef bleaching incidences that an organization keeps up to date with NOAA data!Ā 

https://hub.arcgis.com/maps/26e71d14067c4b3f8dd31d1a4e008cfb/about

Additionally, I found that ArcGIS Online can be used to share maps of animal distributions and populations. Specifically, I looked up the distribution and population density of sea otters, but Iā€™m sure there are many different maps that show how other species are distributed as well. I think this kind of information could be useful for a wide variety of people, from undergraduate students to researchers. These kinds of interactive maps can even be used in schools or museums when giving lessons on certain organisms!Ā 

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?layers=f631c975b1e348d89961eddc13b498a5

Allo Week 1

Introduction:

My name is Isabel Allo and I am a sophomore majoring in Biology and minoring in Nutrition. This is my first time taking a GIS class. So I created a new account.Ā 

Getting Started:

I looked around my profile and figured out I could add a profile photo, but I didnā€™t have a picture of the right size. In the settings, I couldn’t figure out the difference between the map viewer and map viewer classic. I like the Community and Forums part because I think it will be a good resource if I have a question or if I am confused about something. I clicked on a new map and found my house.Ā 

Reading:

One thing that I found interesting from the reading is what you do with this software is meant to be shared with others and collaboration is a big part of this. The software makes it very easy to share your work with others. I looked around the creating maps part of the reading and it makes me excited to start creating something. It’s very cool that there are so many possibilities for customizing a map. I also didnā€™t know anything about the scenes that you can make; that seems interesting too. I also like that this is about how to present data in a way that all audiences can understand and interpret efficiently.

Training:

I thought the training was very helpful. I liked the step-by-step on how to start creating maps and adding layers. I noticed a strong focus on the level of sharing that is possible here. I get the impression that this aspect is a very crucial part of this. I also didnā€™t realize before how customizable the maps and scenes are. There is a lot of room for creativity and a lot of possibilities when it comes to creating maps. With that, I now understand the role the apps play in presenting this kind of information.Ā 

Applications:

Using Google Scholar I decided to look up ā€œArcOnline Food Insecurity.ā€ I found an article titled ā€œGIS Project Helps with Food Insecurity and Waste.ā€ The headline reads ā€œAccording to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans throw away 30 to 40 percent of the entire US food supply.ā€ Source: Baumann, Jim. “GIS project helps with food insecurity and waste.” ArcUser Fall 2020 (2020).

I also found another interesting article called ā€œThe Impact of the Via Bus System on Food Deserts.ā€ This study mapped all places that supply food and whether they were within walking distance of the bus stops nearby (ā‰¤ 0.5 miles and ā‰¤ 1 mile). Ā I thought this was particularly interesting because of how it considers the walking distance when determining whether food is accessible to all in the area.

Source: Maddox, Emily, “The Impact of the Via Bus System on Food Deserts” (2018). Theses & Dissertations. 347.https://athenaeum.uiw.edu/uiw_etds/347Ā 

Another interesting application I found was from the article ā€œEagles and Wind Turbines: Using Maps to Protect Animals and Increase Renewable Energy Useā€. This article was interesting because it shows a real application of an environmental scientist using this technology. This might be something I am interested in pursuing later on in my career so knowing that learning about GIS will be helpful is encouraging.

Source: Douglas Leeson, Thomas C. Hammond, Kate Popejoy, Alec Bodzin, Michael Hardisky & Sarah Lew (2022) Eagles and Wind Turbines: Using Maps to Protect Animals and Increase Renewable Energy Use, The Geography Teacher, 19:4, 178-182, DOI: 10.1080/19338341.2022.2117725

Benes, Week 1

  • I am Annabel Benes, a senior from Denver, Colorado. I just completed the GIS 291 therefore I am excited to see what comes next with GIS 292. I enjoyed the first course and look forward to learning new information for the rest of the semester.Ā 
  • Under my esri it said I didnā€™t have access, not sure what I missed in the login but I will set-up an appointment to figure it out. It was really cool to see all the different courses that could be taken. I also think it’s cool that we have access to looking at the blog and forums so we can have a further understanding of everyday applications.Ā 
  • I think ArcGIS online is really interesting. especially since you can access it anywhere from your personal computer and not be tied to a specific space. The notebook feature seems really cool and a good place to write down ideas and more in a consistent area. the wide range of data that can be shared and accessed is really cool./ being able to see various maps and content is really helpful. overall I already feel like this is more user friendly and will be easier to work with.Ā 
  • This was a very informative tutorial. I thought it was good to get a refresher about topics stated in GIS 291. I feel that this might be easier to work with but we will see.Ā Ā 

  • The two courses that seem cool to learn about are Create smart surveys and forms and creating an underground scene.Ā 
  • Two applications that I wanted to look into were Urbanization in Africa and Bears of the World. I thought these maps were really interesting and provided a lot of information and detail.

Schtucka week 1

Hi! My name is Pacey Schtucka and I am a first year at OWU. I am an Environmental Science major with a Geography minor. I took GEOG 291 last semester, so I already had access.

Poking around comments:Ā 

  • I went and added basic info to my profile while poking around the website.Ā 
  • It would not let me access anything on My ESRI, Iā€™m not sure if I am supposed to be able to see anything here. It said that I needed an invitation from an organization. I was logged in using my OWU credentials, and I also have accepted every invitation sent to me.
  • The ESRI community is really cool. I like that it is set up in a really digestible way. I also like that I am able to see what other people are using web GIS for. It acts almost as a discussion board. Here, people are able to share ideas, problems, and solutions.Ā Ā 

Get started comments:Ā 

  • From this reading, I am starting to understand the differences between web GIS and desktop GIS. I sort of feel like ArcGIS Online is a more universally friendly version of pro. It is able to be done from any online device, and it also seems more digestible. I also feel like ArcGIS Online is able to have a more collaborative feel than ArcGIS Pro. It is able to be shared with others more easily, and one of its marketing tools is that it is great for workspaces.
  • I think that ArcGIS Online having a notebook app is particularly interesting. In particular, I find it interesting that a mapping tool has a specific feature where users can brainstorm and perform analysis inside of the software itself. I also liked that this section gave me the option to view a sample notebook because I had no idea what it would look like, and see one helped me to better understand its uses.Ā 

ArcGIS Online Basics:Ā 

  • I feel like webgis is very similar to arcgis, but it also looks like it will be easier.Ā 
  • I really like that files can be stored in the software itself, and that the files are able to be shared over the software.Ā 

Taking advantage of ESRI online training:

  • Training that looks interesting:
    • Creating an Underground Scene in ArcGIS OnlineĀ 
    • Creating Stories with ArcGIS
  • One use for ArcOnline is to track deforestation. I searched ā€œArcOnline deforestationā€ and I was able to find articles about deforestation in specific areas or the globe as a whole. From searching around, I was able to see that ESRI has a particular interest in using this feature as an education tool to teach users about why they should care about deforestation. One source that I found stated that ā€œWWF has compiled and analyzed global data on deforestation and degradation trends, identifying 24 deforestation frontsā€ and the source also states ā€œwe use an emerging hotspots analysis to assess major trends and hotspots in tropical forests between 2004-2017.ā€ From this source I was also able to find a world view on deforestation, a part of this map is show below
  • Another use for ArcOnline is to keep track of data in a story map. I chose to search ā€œArcOnline student debtā€ as an example of a specific type of data that someone might want to track. I was able to find an interactive map that will show average student loan debt by US State and then percent of people with student loan debt. This sources talks about how they collected their data, and then how they were able to make the maps animate back and forth. From this, I was able to understand how I might be able to take data and make a representation of the data in ArcOnline that is easily to understand.

Source: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9c57e887cfd945b79a707fe293dbd4af