Author: prtomlin

Chapter 4:

This chapter emphasized the increasing mobility and accessibility of GIS across various devices. I found it interesting that Web GIS isn’t limited to smartphones and tablets—it’s even being integrated into wearables. It made me realize just how embedded GIS is becoming in our everyday technology.

Chapter 6

This chapter introduced the concept of spatiotemporal data—information that’s tied to both time and location. This idea is central to real-time GIS applications, and the chapter effectively demonstrated how it’s used in real-world scenarios. Examples like emergency response, environmental monitoring, and traffic tracking helped me better understand how these systems function in practice, beyond just theoretical concepts.

One part that really stood out was the discussion on the Internet of Things. While I’ve come across the term before, this was the first time I truly understood how the Internet of Things connects with GIS. Seeing how real-time data is gathered and processed using tools like GeoEvent Server and ArcGIS Velocity made the concept much clearer. These technologies automate the collection and analysis of sensor data, opening up powerful possibilities for live monitoring and informed decision-making.

Learning about ArcGIS dashboards was also a good experience. They seem incredibly effective for visualizing complex spatial data in a clear, user-friendly way. I also appreciated the deeper look into time-enabled layers and how they can be used to animate changes over time.

Chapter 3:

This chapter was fairly straightforward. I like that this assignment allowed us to create something we can actually publish.

Chapter 4:

I found this chapter engaging because we got to develop a new skill.. It was also interesting to see how GIS continues to evolve alongside the growing use of mobile devices.  I often use Apple Maps for directions, and I realized how heavily our daily lives rely on GIS technology. Although the mobile app tutorials were very in-depth, it was definitely helpful to take a deeper dive into what the Esri apps could do.

Application:

The Survey123 tool has a wide range of potential uses. One practical application could be tracking invasive species of bugs, plants, or other animals. With its variety of input options—including multiple-choice questions, map locations, file uploads, and email fields—it would make collecting data more efficient. Residents in Delaware County could report where the species is found, estimate the amount, indicate whether removal was attempted, and provide other useful details. This could help encourage community involvement and make managing and eliminating invasive species more effective.

Chapter 1
Chapter 1 introduced Web GIS and its growing role in fields like government, business, and education. I was struck by how flexible it is—whether data is stored online or locally, Web GIS brings together maps, scenes, tools, and apps in one system. The tutorials were helpful in showing how to create and organize items, add images to popups, and publish maps. With experience in ArcGIS Desktop, I found the interface intuitive, and Web GIS offers even more accessibility for sharing data widely.

Chapter 2
 Chapter 2 focused on layers and smart mapping, which makes it easier to design maps that highlight patterns in data. I found the auto-style suggestions and data-driven visuals really useful. The chapter also covered ArcGIS Arcade, which reminded me of Excel formulas but for customizing popups in GIS. Story Maps stood out as a creative way to combine maps with text and media to give a clear picture for what may be going on in a given area.

Applications
An application for a dot density map could show the locations of pet stores in the area that sell dog food. Another idea is a heat map that highlights the number of dog owners in the region.

Hi! My name is Parker Tomlin and I am a junior majoring in exercise science with a minor in coaching. I am from Westerville, Ohio. In my free time I like to play baseball, play video games, and lift weights!

I do not have any prior experience with ArcOnline, as I did not take 291. The introduction page had a great overview of what ArcOnline is, and how it is used.  You can explore data in both 2D and 3D, collaborate with people in and out of your organizations, and use analysis tools to understand your data better. You can also share maps easily by embedding them into web pages or social media.

 

The introduction course was all completely new information to me. The step-by-step guide the tutorials offered was simple and easy to follow. The quizzes at the end of the blocks were good to make sure I understood the things being reviewed. Learning how to create a new map and use online data sources, which we did with snow trails in the Sierra Nevada was also very useful for putting the skills we were reviewing to use.

I like to fish during the summer, so for my first search I searched for “ArcOnline Bass” and found a map looking at tidal bass habitats and the quality of their spawning zones throughout Washington and Maryland. Areas that were severely degraded looked to be areas with large towns or cities.

https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=82c67b8eba954e478ab84eab46fb0cb3&extent=-78.1535%2C37.8358%2C-74.0968%2C39.7072

I searched for “ArcOnline Grizzly Bears” next, and found a map looking at general grizzly bear locations. The population of grizzly bears seems to be concentrated in Canada, specifically in British Columbia. A small population of bears exists in upper Montana as well.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?layers=aa9c54be4b5a4db5beaf9cdc3bbf6fe8