Course: Digital Earth Basics

Course: Digital Earth Basics | Z_GIS

General
- Introduction Forum
- Development feedback Forum
  
  Please post all suggestions and corrections for this module. Refer to specific sections whenever your posting applies to content of a specific section.
- Learning Objectives (module level)
  
  explain and communicate the advantages of an explicit geospatial approach to monitoring, understanding and managing real world issues across domains
  
  apply knowledge about Earth's dimensions, shape models and global measurements to practical questions
  
  understand and select appropriate spatial reference systems according to scale, context and application
  
  design the collection and selection of geospatial data in support of specific use cases and workflows
  
  communicate geospatial data through shared visual interfaces using web technologies
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Instructions: Clicking on the section name will show / hide the section.

Geospatial approaches across disciplines and industries
- Orientation video
- Learning objectives:
  
  appreciate the scope of application domains supported with a 'Digital Earth' approach
  
  understand, communicate and explain the role of geospatial methods and technologies for solving problems in select fields
  
  recognize and identify the contributions of Digital Earth technologies like remote, in-situ and mobile sensing, global positioning, geovisualisation etc to the design of workflows supporting critical decisions
- Section overview:
- The ArcGIS Book URL
  
  10 Big Ideas about Applying The Science of Where
- Geospatial World URL
  
  Together with GW Prime, this provides current insights into the practice of Geoinformatics across multiple domains.
- Esri Academy: ArcGIS Online Basics URL
  
  Getting started with hands-on online GIS ...
- Liu, Z., Foresman, T., van Genderen, J., Wang, L. (2020). Understanding Digital Earth. In: Guo, H., Goodchild, M.F., Annoni, A. (eds) Manual of Digital Earth. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9915-3_1 File
  
  [Optional] Book chapter for background reading if you want to explore the background of the 'Digital Earth' vision.
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and assignments
Measuring global dimensions and local spaces
- Orientation video
- Learning objectives:
  
  use geographic (long-lat) coordinates to identify locations worldwide
  
  work with and apply estimates of Earth's dimensions
  
  understand great circles for spherical distance measurements
  
  understand fundamental principles of ellipsoids and geoids as geometric and physical models, respectively, of Earth
  
  navigate virtual globe interfaces
- Section overview:
- Click 'View larger map', navigate to your hometown, right-click on the map and note its geographical coordinates:
- Main elements of global coordinate systems URL
- The LatLong graticule URL
- Geographic Coordinates (Longitude and Latitude) Page
- DMS DD converter URL
- Exploring further: experience ArcGIS Earth URL
  
  Download and install this app to fully explore a 'Digital Earth' from a virtual globe perspective ...
- LatLong Video Collection Page
  
  Explanation and illustration of geographic coordinates, great circles and related topics
- Self assessment questions Page
- Section quiz
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and assignments
Spatial reference systems
- Learning objectives:
  
  understand the need for planar projection of global surfaces
  
  have an overview of main types of map projections
  
  develop a detailed understanding of the UTM system
  
  work with projected coordinate system values
  
  select generic map projections depending on scale and purpose
- Section overview:
- Why 'project' - compare spherical vs cartesian-flat views URL
- Esri Academy: Basics of Geographic Coordinate Systems URL
  
  Complete this web course, take the exam and print your course certificate!
  
  (The practical exercise involving ArcGIS Pro is optional)
- Modeling Earth for Projections ... URL
  
  Video lesson by Brian Baldwin - (very!) worthwhile watching!
- Map Projections (ITC) URL
- ArcGIS Blog: Geographic vs. Projected Coordinate Systems URL
- Esri Academy: Basics of Map Projections URL
- ArcGIS Blog: Coordinate Systems: What's the Difference? URL
  
  Just a quick read. Focus on the first half, no need to get into WKT, WKID and tools.
- Null Island - why is it there, and why do we care? URL
- Properties of Global Projections URL
- Viewing and comparing map projections URL
  
  PSU Interactive Album of Map Projections 2.0. Switch on 'distortion ellipses' - Tissot's indicatrix.
- SpatialReference.org - map projections worldwide URL
- I Hate Coordinate Systems! URL
- Mercator Puzzle URL
- The true size of ... URL
  
  Assessing the impact of cylindrical / Mercator projections on the size and shape of country outlines.
- Map Distortions URL
- Distortion ellipses (animation) URL
- Visualising Map Distortion (Ian Johnson) URL
- LatLong.net - Coordinate Conversion URL
- Earth Point - Coordinate Conversion (Google Earth) URL
- The World Coordinate Converter URL
- Geoplaner - GeoConverter and Route Planner URL
- Behind the scenes - basics of coordinate transformations (ITC) URL
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and exercises
Collecting georeferenced data
- Learning objectives:
  
  appreciate the value of working with a base map
  
  select and display simple data sets / services
  
  contextualize spatial recordings and traces through GPX
  
  actively acquire simple features as positions and attributes
  
  trace simple features on a map or image backdrop
  
  experience address geocoding: translating placenames to location
  
  understand and explain the difference between primary and secondary data acquisition
- Section overview:
- Geocoding URL
- Screen Digitizing exercise URL
- Adding a GPX track File
  
  Record your own GPX file with a mobile app, or download one of the attached samples. Then drag-and-drop the file on an ArcGIS Online map, start exploring and editing ...
- Trimble.Learn: GNSS Basics URL
  
  Register on this platform (free) and take this introductory GNSS orientation course.
- QuickCapture collection
- Sample - check out the data points we had collected: URL
- Esri Academy: Location-Enabling Data (Web Course) URL
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and exercises
From maps to views: communicating and sharing spatial information
- Learning objectives:
  
  understand, design and use web maps as communication interfaces
  
  share field mapped and digitized spatial data with peers
  
  critically discuss the concepts of spatial resolution and accuracy
  
  experience and assess different options for communicating feature characteristics
- Section overview:
- GISTBoK CV-35 - Geovisualization URL
- Task: share a map view Page
  
  Based in successful completion of the 'ArcGIS Online Basics' course, you now will be able to apply the skills from section 3 'Using web maps' ...
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and exercises
Getting started with the geospatial cloud
- Learning objectives:
  
  experience full immersion in a rich geospatial information environment
  
  navigate a portal interface with a spatial data infrastructure
  
  combine multiple layers suitable for a defined scale range and common them into a view shareable for further exploration
  
  explain and demonstrate why this platform is considered a 'living' atlas
- Section overview:
- Esri Academy (video):Living Atlas of the World: An Introduction URL
  
  Watch this one hour video for an introduction into the concepts, scope and services supported by the ArcGIS Living Atlas.
- Living Atlas of the World URL
- Esri Academy (web course): Teaching with ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World URL
- Activities: Page
  
  Tasks to complete this section
- Assessment: Page
  
  Check out these questions and exercises

Course: Digital Earth Basics | Z_GIS

General

Open all

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Geospatial approaches across disciplines and industries

Measuring global dimensions and local spaces

Spatial reference systems

Collecting georeferenced data

From maps to views: communicating and sharing spatial information

Getting started with the geospatial cloud