1. What is GIS?

2. Geography and Technology Geography affects us in many ways: Our natural environment Our human environment Geography has become a high tech discipline: Earth Observation Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

3. What is a GIS? GIS= Geographic Information System A method of organizing data Geographic Data (Maps) Descriptive Data (Databases) Images A method of distributing data A method of analyzing data A method of visualizing data

4. How does a GIS Work? In a GIS, different types of information are represented as separate map layers Each layer is linked to descriptive information Layers are combined to make a map

5. Describing Our World We can describe any element of our world in two ways: Attribute Information: >What is it? Location Information: >Where is it? Building Type: Office Height: 100 ft. Condition: Good

6. Linking Datasets GIS software links the location data and the attribute data:

7. Analysis GIS can analyze data in many ways GIS software can answer our questions about the world: Spatial Questions >What provinces border Saskatchewan? Attribute Questions >What provinces have more than 1.5 million people?

8. Earth Observation SPOT LandSat ™ RadarSAT NOAA ERS RADARSAT NOAA ERS SPOT

9. Earth Observation

10. Global Positioning System GPS is a revolutionary navigation system 24 satellites orbiting the earth Provide location within meters or less anywhere on the globe. Now available in many cars as an option

11. GIS in Education and Administration

12. Classroom Applications Social Studies History Earth Science Biology Environmental Studies Political Science Mathematics Economics Business Computer Science

13. School District Administration School mapping and redistricting Enrollment analysis Facilities management School transportation Staff/student location analysis School safety

14. Real World Applications Using GIS

15. GIS Technology is Increasingly Common in Today’s Applications

16. GIS in the Real World Tsunami Relief Hurricane Tracking and Response Agriculture and Sustainability Health Care Municipalities and Planning Cartography

17. Summary GIS is about using data to describe our world in two ways: Location Data - Where is it? Attribute Data - What is it? GIS software maintains a link between layers of location and attribute data With the link, we can ask questions about our world… GIS is a multi-disciplinary tool in education GIS is used in real world applications across various industries