Overview
Spatial data is the focus of GIS: what can we learn from our spatial data? In this webinar series you will learn key GIS techniques used in the world today. This webinar will focus on three groups of GIS topics: the nuts & bolts of GIS data, GIS visualizations (like maps and graphs), and spatial analysis.
While visualization and spatial analysis are where GIS becomes powerful (and fun!), we must begin with the basics. No matter the complexity of a GIS task, understanding the nature of spatial data is where we always begin our work.
Spatial health data can tell us things about our communities and populations that aren't always evident. We can use maps and graphs to communicate what our spatial data is trying to tell us.
Spatial data analysis has the power to answer complex questions that we never thought to ask, or were never able to answer without GIS. Spatial data analysis can be as simple as finding the quickest route to the store, or as complicated as finding space-time outliers in community influenza rates.
So whether you’re looking to learn the basics of GIS, explore visualization tools, or practice new forms of analysis, this webinar will help you develop valuable new geospatial skills.
The course uses ArcGIS, a powerful GIS suite from ESRI. A software package commonly used worldwide, ArcGIS can be used across a multitude of industries, including public health & epidemiology. The webinar series will be divided into four 2-hour sessions. Background theory and live demos will be presented during each live session, with take-home practice assignments following each session.
Webinar objectives
The goal of the webinar-based course is to:
- Familiarize students with GIS fundamentals
- Provide an orientation to the ArcGIS environment
- Produce visualizations
- Distinguish between different GIS tools and operations
Course Content
Session 1:
- PopData's remote training lab
- Points, lines, and polygons
- Geographic mapping space
- Legends, data sources
- Data classification, symbology
- Graphs
- Data in space-time
- Visualizing COVID-19 in Canada
- Mapping Cases & Mortality by province
Session 2:
- Geoprocessing
- ArcGIS Tools
- ArcToolbox
- Management of intermediate data
- Searching for tools
Session 3:
- Planning your analysis
- Joining data
- Cleaning data
- Aggregating and summarizing data
- Interpreting your analysis
- Visualizing your analysis
Session 4:
- Overview of advanced geospatial concepts
- Introduction to geographically weighted regression
- Introduction to spatial autocorrelation
Prior required knowledge
Familiarity with any GIS software is an asset though not mandatory for this course
Webinar-based course format
The interactive webinar software will provide remote access for students to view the instructor's screen and connect with the instructor in real time. The instructor will introduce a topic and assign optional homework after each session.
ArcGIS and data used in each session will be available within PopData’s Remote Training Lab (RTL).
If you have ArcGIS on your home or work machine, a link will be provided for your access to session data.
Lead Facilitator
Joseph (Joey) Syer is a senior Geomatics Specialist at Hemmera, an Ausenco Company. Joey has over 10 years of experience in GIS and spatial analysis. He holds a BGIS from BCIT, is a registered GISP and a graduate of the PHDA program. To expand on these skills Joey is also studying epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Much of his time is split between the development of novel data analysis & data collection systems and exploring the uses of GIS technology in epidemiology & environmental science. Joey’s interests are in macro geographic processes, spatial epidemiology, ecology and disease transmission (One Health), and python programming.
Course fees
Regular rate: $240
Grad Student rate: $160
PHDA Student rate: $100
