DefinitionGIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. A Geographic Information System is a combination of elements designed to store, retrieve, manipulate, and display geographic data - information about places. It is a package consisting of four basic parts: hardware, software, data and a thinking operator.HardwareGIS runs on robust computer technology, capable of processing millions of computations per second. ArcView runs on Macintosh, PC and UNIX systems. SoftwareArcView GIS software provides the mechanism for analyzing relationships between geographic entities, and allows the explorer to interact with dynamic maps on the computer screen. The software also permits the user to produce high-quality maps on a variety of output devices. DataData in a GIS comes in two parts: 1) the geographic data that represents the physical places: cities, rivers, lakes; and 2) the attribute data that describes the characteristics of the geographic features: population, length, area. Matching each unique geographic feature with its corresponding attributes is the true power behind GIS. The ExplorerArcView can inspire discovery in the classroom, and help students sharpen their critical thinking skills. Using the combined power of computer, software, data and their imaginations, students can build a multidisciplinary understanding of the world in which they live. Like any system, a GIS works best (perhaps "only") when all parts are operating in concert. Again, like any system, the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. And, again like any system, it may be hard for the novice to see the full picture at first glance. To make it easier to understand, the overhead projector analogy is often used to illustrate what GIS is. |
