The Course
Interactive GIS Course in Costa Rica - PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

Week One: Core Skills for ArcGIS

This course will teach core GIS skills – working with the software to compile and organize data, use symbols and labels to understand the data, work with table tools to maximize the database functionality of GIS, work with edit tools to create and clean the data, perform basic analysis, and create finished maps. The course projects will use conservation and natural resource data from the US, Kenya and some local data from Costa Rica and will work with typical conservation scenarios, such as identifying likely areas for elephant habitat, locating fish monitoring sites along rivers, or cleaning data to create burn plans for improving habitat.

Topics will include:

• Using ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcToolbox
• Working with layers, data frames, & maps
• Editing data & managing edit sessions
• Creating layouts in ArcMap
• Creating & using layer symbology in ArcMap
• Labeling features, working with annotation
• Projecting data between coordinate systems
• Working with Routes, XY events, and Linear Referencing
• Managing and editing tables
• Selecting and querying features
• Accessing Excel and Access tables
• Basic Geoprocessing and Analysis tools
• Georeferencing images
• Creating and working with metadata
• Using the Geodatabase
• Validating attributes with Domains/Subtypes
• Validating features with Topology
• Editing with the Geodatabase

Week Two: Advanced Skills for ArcGIS – Geoprocessing, Analysis, Raster GIS, and Productivity

This course will focus on advanced skills, including the use of the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension that works with Raster GIS and provides advanced analysis functionality. Students will also learn how to use ModelBuilder to create models and tools for analysis and to improve productivity, and custom tools that will provide new and useful ways to make GIS work better for each student’s needs. The course will work with several analysis projects to demonstrate how these skills can be applied. Students are encouraged to bring their own data to work on in this class, as we will leave time at the end of the week and during evenings to work on your projects with help from the instructor and other students. During this second part of the course, students can use data collected by GVI Costa Rica or have the opportunity to collect data from the diverse local area.

Topics in this class will include:

• Understanding raster GIS
• Interpolating surfaces from different types of data
• Using DEM elevation files
• Using Map Algebra for spatial analysis
• Using the Raster Calculator
• Analysis properties & commands
• Distance, Viewshed & Proximity Grids
• Hydrology in ArcGIS
• Using ModelBuilder for analysis and for creating tools
• Introduction to Python scripts
• Using custom tools and scripts

Together with those mentioned above, participants will receive certification from GVI and ESRI associate JuniperGIS. You will also earn 40 (one week participation) or 80 hours (two week participation) towards the GISP (Geographic Information System Professional) certificate.