How do I use GIS or GIS data?

It is not always necessary to purchase the software but it can have its advantages

Courses and Workshops

Many organizations and universities offer GIS workshops and for educators. North Carolina State Univeristy offers a course titled GIS In Education. There are many places to look for that information regarding courses and workshops but your local Geographic Alliance and/or local colleges and universities. (See Who Can Help Me?) There are also universities and businesses that offer virtual GIScourses, such as ESRI's Virtual Campus.

Software Demo Versions and Tutorials

There are also downloadable versions of many GIS software paclages. One of the GIS demo softwares that is available for schools and educators is ArcVoyager. As an educator you can request the CD with all of the resources from ESRI or download the software and those very same resources. The ArcVoyager tutorial allows the user to move slowly through the process of learning this new technology. This is also a very good way to begin to teach the technology and spatial concepts to first time GIS users. It is a demo version so there are some limitations.

Online Resources

If learning the software does not appeal to you there are many GIS Maps and Mapping services available. Often the maps are interactive (you can zoom in and out, panning tools to move around in the map, and even some queries can be preformed).

Some examples include:

• Geography Network (http://www.geographynetwork.com/)

• National Geographic Map Machine (http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/)

• Library of Congress Map Collections 1500-1999 (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html)

• Terraserver (http://www.terraserver.com/)
  

• Mapquest (http://www.mapquest.com)

• Additional resources...

Who can help me?