Mapping Pennsylvania Communities: GIS Workshop

Posted by on September 30, 2005

Mapping Pennsylvania Communities: An Introduction to GIS and Community Analysis Workshop – One Day Workshop

Workshop participants will learn the fundamentals of using ArcGIS (ArcView 9.1), as well as how to extract and use current data from the Census of Population and Housing for community analysis. Participants will also learn to map addresses and conduct spatial analysis. This workshop is intended for government and non-profit employees, or any one that would like to learn to map demographic data for their local community. Mapping techniques transferable to all other communities.

When: October 25th & 26th, 2005 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm) Note: This is a one day workshop. Please choose which date is most convenient for you.
Where: New Horizons Computer Learning Center – Five Parkway Center, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Fee: $399 Checks, Credit Cards and Purchase Orders Accepted

How To Register? Visit http://www.urban-research.info to register online or by telephone at 877.241.6576.

Audience
This fast paced, hands-on workshop teaches the fundamentals of how to use a Geographic Information System (GIS) in a way that is particularly relevant to social service providers, planners and researchers. Participants will learn three core components of GIS: thematic mapping, geocoding (address mapping) and spatial querying. Mapping techniques transferable to all other communities. Exercises are designed for beginners. Intermediate Excel skills required.

Materials
Comprehensive workbook (75 pages), which includes the presentation, exercises and reference worksheets, ArcGIS (ArcView 9.1) software 60-day trial CD set, access to new 2004 Tiger/Line geography files (already converted to shapefiles) which include streets, zip codes, school districts, voting districts, census tracts and many other useful geographies.

Objectives
The Mapping Pennsylvania Communities workshop will teach participants:

-The fundamentals of using ArcGIS (ArcView 9.1) the leading GIS software,

-How to thematically map and analyze a wide variety of Census data such as income, race, language and housing data (including how to download data from the Census),

-How to map addresses such as those of clients, volunteers, campaign donations and social service facilities as well as to identify gaps in coverage areas by zip code and other geographies,

-Best practices of creating informative and well designed maps for public dissemination. Class participants will review and critique several maps in an attempt to learn good map design,

-Where to get a wide selection of free geography files including new 2004 Tiger/Lines including streets, zip codes and all Census geography