Teachers should check out this ESRI webinar on August 19th, taking a look at geospatial tools for any classroom: home, outdoors, school, or virtual. Click here for more info and to register.
GIS Tools for Back to School
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Author Archives: socalgovgis - Michael Carson
Mapping Government Spending
Wondering what companies took the government’s SBA Paycheck Protection Program loan? How about what government agencies received Federal Weapons that were loaned to them? How about who received Federal Grants? Or what colleges received Coronavirus Bailout Money? You can find all this out at Open The Books. They have mapping applications that allow you to zoom in on your town/county/state to see the data. Check it out!
Mobility Trends from Apple
Besides Google’s Community Mobility Reports, Apple has their own data on COVID-19 Mobility Trends. Their data was generated by counting the number of requests made to Apple Maps for directions in select countries/regions, sub-regions, and cities. The thought is as COVID-19 lock downs go down, direction requests go up. Check it out!
Learn ArcGIS Program Extended
Rio Hondo College GIS Courses
Learn GIS from home this fall! Rio Hondo College GIS courses start August 15th. Classes are entirely online. More information can be found at www.riohondo.edu/gis . Fall classes include both courses in Geographic Information Systems and new course offering on preparing for exam to pass Remote Pilot (Drone) Commercial Exam which includes survey mapping workflow.
- Introduction to GIS (GIS 120) 4 units CRN 74117
- Small Unmanned Aircraft System (drone) (GIS 150) CRN 77010
- Cartography Design and GIS (GIS 221) CRN 73311
- GIS Applications (GIS 220) CRN 74445
- Geospatial Programming (Python) & Web Services (GIS 280) CRN 75607
- Crime Mapping (GIS 281) CRN 75609
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are classes online? Yes, part of what makes online courses so convenient is that you don’t have to commute to Rio Hondo Campus but can instead complete your coursework from home. For many of us today, we find ourselves at home with families and unexpected happenings and would much prefer the convenience of online with the ability to work on your own schedule.
- Do I need a Computer? Yes, you do need to have access to a computer either a Windows or Mac (mouse recommended) and internet access.
- Do I need to install software? No, you will have access to the fast high tech labs with the latest GIS and related softwares via remote desktop. No software configuration required on your computer (Windows or Mac).
- Are the Classes Asynchronous or Synchronous (live)? Classes can be completed Asynchronous. However two 60 minute sessions for each class will be scheduled for those who have time or prefer to meet ‘live’ (Synchronous) on Zoom… the sessions are always recorded and made available later that evening.
- How to Register? No need to come on campus. Apply for admission and register for classes entirely online. To register for classes, you must first apply for admission (entirely free online). Applying for admission and registering cannot be any easier and steps found here.
For additional information, contact Prof. Warren Roberts wroberts@riohondo.edu (P.S. Did you know select Rio Hondo GIS courses are transferable courses to CSU and other universities?)
Community Mobility Reports
Check out Google’s Community Mobility Reports that provide insights into how people’s movements in countries around the world were altered during the lock down period of COVID-19. Also you can see mobility change since countries have eased movement restrictions.
The reports use aggregated anonymized data from mobile phones to chart trends in movement over time. They show how visits to different venues (like retail, groceries, parks, transit stations, etc.) have been effected by government lock downs. Check it out!
An overview and how to understand the data can be found here.
Active Fire Mapping
With summer in full swing and the temperatures increasing, it’s always good to be mindful of fires. The USDA Forest Service has a nice website dedicated to current fire activities. Included are current large incidents, fire detection maps, fire detection GIS data, data on Google Earth, data in web services, and much more. Check it out!
Huntington Digital Map Collection
The Huntington Digital Map Collection is an internet catalog of over 8,000 maps of California and the World from The Huntington Library, Art Collection & Botanical Gardens. The maps range from 16th century European portolan charts to 20th century land use maps, including maps owned by British explorer Sir Richard Burton; the Solano-Reeve collection of surveys of Los Angeles and Southern California tracts; and printed tract maps from the Rare Book Collection. You can see all of the available maps in the Huntington collection with thumbnails and short descriptions so you can easily choose the ones you want to view more fully. Check it out!
Q3 2020 ArcGIS Release
What’s new for ArcGIS Software this quarter can be found in this ESRI blog. Noticed that ArcGIS Desktop 10.8.1 was not mentioned. No worries, you can find that in the online help.
And it looks like the latest software is ready for you to download.
Maps & Beer & Football
Love maps and beer and football too? Then check out this ESRI Map Gallery submission, “Geography of a Stadium” that explores Heinz Field. Check out the beer distribution!
SoCalGIS.org 