Beginning Online Course to Begin February 17, 2010
Registration Now Open!

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems – ArcGIS 9.X
            The Power of Geospatial Analysis

 Program Description


Geographic Information Systems' technologies are revolutionizing the way people comprehend the world around them. Simply put, a GIS consists of layers of information about a place to give you a better understanding of that place. What layers of information you combine depends on your purpose—finding the best location for a new store, analyzing environmental damage, viewing similar crimes in a city to detect a pattern—and so on.

Spatial Sci is developing a series of three course that are designed primarily for K-12 school teachers, but are open to and can benefit a wide variety of people. These GIS courses combine the necessary training to build GIS projects that combine a variety of geospatial data. The overarching goal of these courses is to provide a solid foundation in the basic concepts, best software and available data types inherent in the GIS arena. This foundation enables the student to begin the exploration of geospatial data and the construction of cartographic products. Catering to a wide variety of professional interests, an effective interface with desktop GIS solutions stimulates new opportunities, rapid convergence of Internet software, and available digital data that fosters an unprecedented opportunity to engage in new levels of data analysis, education, and communication. Moreover, understanding information, combined with the ability to interact with the data, provides for effective decision-making across local, regional, and global scales.

Each class is instructor led, not self-paced, and lasts ten weeks. There are assignments due each week of the course. Class size is limited so participants have the opportunity for ample interaction with the instructor and other students. The courses are 100% online -- you can participate and complete them from anywhere in the world.

Special Note:The Introductory course will run this spring.  Intermediate and Advanced courses are under development, but we cannot guarantee when they will launch.  Once all courses are complete, we will offer each course three times per year.  Courses are offered for three credits (undergraduate or graduate).  Course registration information is forthcoming, stay tuned for more information.

Course Description


Introduction to ESRI’s ArcView 9.x: “Software Skills”
 

10 weeks in length

ArcGIS is a complete Geographic Information Systems (GIS) package offered by the world’s leading GIS software company, ESRI. This course introduces the desktop ArcGIS package, ArcView. This course will introduce students to GIS and familiarize students with the basic software skills needed to operate the ArcGIS application. Students will learn to dynamically view and work with geographic data to answer spatial questions and create professional maps. Emphasis is put on repetition and independent, realistic exercise assignments to reinforce basic software skills and provide a solid foundation for future experience with GIS environments.

Prerequisites


There are no prerequisites and no previous experience with geographic information technologies is required.  The courses are designed for those with no GIS experience. A college degree is not necessary and we highly encourage high school students to register as the academic credits could apply to an elective requirement for a degree. (Note: no certificate can be granted unless all three courses are taken successfully with a B or above). You must complete Introductory with a B or higher before taking Intermediate and you must complete Intermediate with a B or higher before taking Advanced. You cannot take courses simultaneously.

ArcView 9.X Hardware Requirements


Minimum hardware requirements for ArcView 9.2 and extensions
Processor PC-Intel Pentium or Xeon
Operating System Windows 2000 or Windows XP, Vista, or WIndows 7 Memory 512 MB RAM (1GB recommended)
CPU Speed 1 GHz

Complete hardware requirements are available at http://support.esri.com

Software Requirements


Windows Operating System
Internet access
E-mail account
ArcView 9.X

Each course requires you have a full working version of the software. The required book for the course includes a temporary version of the software: 180 trial version.  You can use each of these versions to complete courses, but keep in mind that the software might expire before the end of a course and/or the certificate program. 

You can contact Jeff Crews at jeff@spatialsci.com  for your software needs after you have registered for a course.

Registration and Fees


You register fully online at this website and registration is open approximately one month before the course start date. No other paper work is necessary for registration. The ArcView 9.X courses are available for $795 as of the publishing of this page. Additional costs may include text and software (see information below). While there is no deadline for registering, classes do fill up. There are still spots available in the course as long as you see the registration link on this website.  If you no longer see the registration link, please contact Jeff Crews at jeff@spatialsci.com to be placed on a waiting list.  Students do drop and we will open additional sections if need be.

Please keep in mind that book ordering can take 2-3 weeks and we do not allow students to remain in the class unless they have the book and software by the first week of the course.

The registration prices are very competitive for the distance education marketplace. There are other online GIS courses in existence, but almost none that have a dedicated, full-time instructor available to assist the student. Moreover, special assistance is provided to help support individuals that are not familiar with an online course environment and in case of technical difficulties associated with the online learning environment.

The registration fee covers most of the course costs; however, there are some additional costs you may incur depending on your current situation. The ArcView 9.x Introductory course requires one book (GIS Tutorial, Third Edition), priced at approximately $49.00 (for one of the lowest prices, click the following link to order the book http://www.gisetc.com/gistutorialworkbook.html). Participants will also be required to have a full working copy of the ArcView GIS 9.x software. GIS Tutorial, Third Edition (the required text) comes with a 180 day, individual license of ArcView 9.x – the software required for the course.

The final project for the course is mailed to the instructor so a nominal amount of money is needed for a manila envelope and postage.

Full payment must be received before a student is granted access to the class on the start date. Cancellations received within ten days after the start of the class will receive a full refund. No refunds are given after that date.

Frequently Asked Questions


How often are the courses offered?

Courses are normally offered at least three times a year -- once in the spring, summer, and fall.  Because this is the first semester we are offering the 9.X Introductory course, the Intermediate course will be available sometime next year. 

Is the Certificate fully online?

Yes, all courses are completed 100% online.

Can I get credit for the courses? 

Yes, courses can be taken for three graduate or undergraduate credits.  The cost of the credits is $140.00 (for all three).  Credit registration will open shortly.

What do the courses cost and why?

Each ArcView 9.X course is available for $795.  Additional costs include text and software if the student does not have access to the software (see question below). The prices are very competitive for the distance education marketplace. There are other online GIS courses in existence, but almost none that have a dedicated, full-time instructor available to assist the student. Moreover, there is email assistance and people support in case of technical difficulties associated with the online learning environment.

Are there other costs associated with the online courses?

The registration fee covers most of the course costs; however, there are some additional costs you may incur depending on your current situation. There is one text required for the Introductory ArcView GIS 9.x course, (GIS Tutorial, Third Edition), priced at approximately $49.00 (for one of the lowest prices, click the following link to order the book http://www.gisetc.com/gistutorialworkbook.html), priced at approximately $49.  Participants will also be required to have a full working copy of ArcView 9.x.  A 180 day version of the software comes with the required textbook.  You can contact Jeff Crews at jeff@spatialsci.com for your software needs after you have registered.

The final project in all three courses is mailed to the instructor so a nominal amount of money is needed for a manila envelope and postage.

What are the time requirements for the online courses?

The courses are instructor led (not self-paced) and there are assignments due at the end of each week (weeks run Thursday to Wednesday). You can expect to spend 5-7 hours per week while participating in the online courses. Time is divided between class assignments, reading, threaded discussions, and project completion. There is no required or specific time for you to be logged into the course during the week; however, you are required to log in at least twice a week. You may be required to be a discussion group leader for one week during the ten week course. You will be required to log in to the course every day during that week.

What are the refund and cancellation policies?

Full payment musts be received before a student is granted access to the class on the start date. Cancellations received within ten days after the start of the class will receive a full refund. No refunds are given after that date.

Contact Information


Jeffrey W. Crews, Ed.D
SpatialSci, Inc.
(406) 360-6340
jeff@spatialsci.com

 

 




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