Teaching modern GIS skills with ArcGIS Solutions
Modern GIS is web GIS built on a foundation of data services and configurable applications and knowing how to translate business needs into services and apps is a critical skill for future GIS professionals. Configurable apps provide a framework for common tasks that can be quickly tailored to a particular organization’s needs. Working with configurable apps in your courses can be a great way to help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Solving any problem requires understanding both what is universal and what is unique to that situation – in other words, what core principles are transferable from one situation to another and what variables require new approaches. By taking a standard approach to things that are consistent, we can save time and avoid “re-inventing the wheel.” This leaves more time to address what makes a situation unique and unleashes critical thinking and creativity.
ArcGIS Solutions is a collection of configurable maps and apps for business, local government, public safety, utilities, and other industries. They build on standard practices to provide efficiency while retaining flexibility to fit a variety of situations.
By providing preconfigured data models, they save time in the early stages of a project and get students to the problem-solving stage sooner. Students can experiment with map and app templates to address different business needs or different organization structures.
ArcGIS Solutions are developed in partnership with Esri customers across several industries to ensure they represent current best practices in those industries, including planning and development, public works, public safety, and utilities. They can be deployed on both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure and many include web apps, dashboards, and mobile apps that leverage the web GIS pattern.
They are supported with tutorials and other training resources and are free to deploy, making them a great tool for teaching modern GIS skills.