Section 1: What is GIS?
Getting Started With GIS
What is a GIS and what is the ‘Getting
Started With GIS Project ’?
A GIS is a Geographical Information System and essentially it is a software
tool that is available to geographers to aid the mapping and spatial analysis
of data and information.
The ‘Getting Started With GIS’ Project is aimed at secondary
teachers who are thinking about taking their first steps in using GIS to
enhance the teaching and learning of geography in their schools. Many teachers
have heard about the increasingly important role that GIS plays in commerce
and industry but don’t know how to get started with their own use
of this valuable tool.
The ‘Getting Started With GIS’ Project aims to support teachers
with independent and balanced advice and information that will place those
who have little or no knowledge onto the first rung of the GIS ladder so
that they have the confidence and knowledge to be able to cross the initial
barriers into using GIS.
What does the Project contain?
The ‘Getting Started With GIS’ Project currently contains:
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A straightforward but detailed introduction to ‘What is a GIS?’. It includes a simple explanation of the concepts behind GIS, the elements that make it up and a glossary of the key terms. This is linked in with the existing interactive examples given in the next section.
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A guide to the best of the existing interactive websites and digital resources that use a GIS structure so that teachers can familiarise themselves with GIS concepts and approaches.
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A guide to existing classroom exemplars of GIS use in teaching and learning appropriate to Key Stages 3 and 4.
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A summary of, and links to, a selection of other quality web-based sources of advice and information.
These web pages will help you to understand GIS and feel confident in
trying it by explaining what that extra third involves. It aims to give
you a
feel for how it could work to add value to Geography teaching in your
school by answering some key questions.
Part 1 – Background to GIS
Question 1: What is geographic information?
Question 2: How do we create geographic information?
Question 3: What is the value of combining geographic information?
Question 4: How do we combine geographic information?
Question 5: What are the modern systems used for combining geographic
information?
Question 6: What are the advantages of using GIS?
Part 2 – Representing geographic information in a computer
Question 7: What are the essential elements of geographic information?
Question 8: How do we represent geographic information in a computer?
Question 9: What can the GIS software do with the information stored
in the computer?
Question 10: Who uses GIS and why?
Glossary