Maps and the Geospatial Revolution

Learn how advances in geospatial technology and analytical methods have changed how we do everything, and discover how to make maps and analyze geographic patterns using the latest tools.

The past decade has seen an explosion of new mechanisms for understanding and using location information in widely-accessible technologies. This Geospatial Revolution has resulted in the development of consumer GPS tools, interactive web maps, and location-aware mobile devices. These radical advances are making it possible for people from all walks of life to use, collect, and understand spatial information like never before.

This course brings together core concepts in cartography, geographic information systems, and spatial thinking with real-world examples to provide the fundamentals necessary to engage with Geography beyond the surface-level. We will explore what makes spatial information special, how spatial data is created, how spatial analysis is conducted, and how to design maps so that they’re effective at telling the stories we wish to share. To gain experience using this knowledge, we will work with the latest mapping and analysis software to explore geographic problems.

• Getting Started
• Watch a short video to learn how this class works (it's a bit different than other MOOCs) and help make a map with your classmates.
• The Changing Nature of Place
• Discover the Geospatial Revolution and its impact on the rapidly evolving science of Geography.
• Spatial is Special
• Explore what it means to think spatially and consider the impacts of scale and time.
• Understanding Spatial Data
• Examine the key elements of spatial datasets.
• Doing Spatial Analysis
• Learn how Geographers solve problems using spatial analysis techniques.
• Making Great Maps
• Explore the key elements of effective cartographic design.