Cartography

Esri via Independent

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Details

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Provider

Independent
Pricing

Free Online Course
Languages

English
Duration & workload

6 weeks long
Sessions

A Best Course of All Time

Found in

Overview

Once, only cartographers made maps. Today anyone can. Still, cartographers can teach people to make better maps, just as chefs can show people how to cook better meals. With coaching from experienced cartographers and practical, hands-on exercises using ArcGIS Pro, you'll become a smarter mapmaker, ready to go beyond the defaults and make better maps.

Syllabus

Section 1

Getting Started: Let's Get Mapping

Consider the value and purpose of cartography as science and art. Get set up with ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and exercise data. Use ArcGIS Pro to design a small-format, multiscale topographic map, using generalization tools and scale-dependent symbology. Use layouts for composition. Add contextual detail, insets, legends, and marginalia.

Section 2

Math for Mapmakers

Explore how coordinate systems, transformations, and projections affect your map's message. Deal with the effects of projections and data classification methods on thematic maps. Design and publish a custom basemap in a nonstandard projection to support thematic data. Build attribute-driven symbology. Publish a multiscale web map and app.

Section 3

Language of Graphics

See how generalization, symbology, and color affect your story. Explore generalization techniques that reduce feature complexity for smaller-scale displays. Create a variety of thematic maps, including choropleth, proportional symbol, value-by alpha, and multivariate maps. Change symbology and use transparency in creative ways.

Section 4

Labels and Composition

Learn a little about typography, label placement, and map composition. Set up a palette of label styles for different features and explore options for positioning them around other map details. Create a layout that includes a range of marginalia. Use ArcGIS expressions to define labels in innovative ways.

Section 5

Mapping in 3D

Consider how to best use the z dimension to represent data for both reference and thematic maps. Use 3D symbology and develop a sense of when 3D adds value to your map. Build 3D web scenes and vary the way features are represented using attributes and dynamic symbology.

Section 6

Mapping Change

Use the time-aware and animation controls in ArcGIS Pro to design maps that show temporal change. Direct an animated movie to map change; add captions and dynamic overlay information; and publish in a range of popular, shareable formats. Create a display of small multiples for an infographic poster.

Charts

#2 in Subjects / Engineering / GIS
#2 in Subjects / Science / Earth Science
#1 in Subjects / Earth Science / Geography
#1 in Subjects / Geography / Cartography

Reviews

4.8 rating, based on 181 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Cartography

Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

This was my first foray into ArcPro. And it had a lot of interesting bells and whistles to it. The MOOC focused on a lot of things that were way above my skill level, like animation and 3D mapping, and I felt that while it was interesting to see what...

This was my first foray into ArcPro. And it had a lot of interesting bells and whistles to it. The MOOC focused on a lot of things that were way above my skill level, like animation and 3D mapping, and I felt that while it was interesting to see what could be done with it, that I personally would probably never have reason to do it.

It had a lot of things that I as a simple mapper would probably never need, but I did appreciate a few of the simple cartography tools. Symbology was a lot more powerful than in its ArcMap cousin.

As far as the videos went, I didn't get much out of them besides the opinions of the three people in them and the interesting old cartography tools they were looking at. I'm a visual person, and the lack of examples of what they were talking about meant that I had little to no idea as to what some of the things they talked about would actually look like. I feel that this hampered my ability to understand considerably.

I really enjoyed the layout of the tutorial documents. It was incredibly easy to get lost in ArcPro, but the pictures made navigation much easier in something so strange and foreign. I found the exercises interesting, even if for most of them that scared-of-change voice in the back of my head whispered "why are they doing it this way when ArcMap does it another way?". I found labeling almost as aggravating as in ArcMap, but there were a few things that came in handy (breaking up by classes).

I wish that I had more time to devote to this MOOC; it might have been interesting to take a look at the forums. But I feel that the theory discussed in the tutorials was useful. I wish that this MOOC talked more about the theory behind symbology; what works, and some general rules. Symbology is one of the toughest things for me, and I would have appreciated some sort of section focusing on it as thoroughly as map projections were focused on.

All that aside, I'm glad that I was able to participate in this MOOC. Thank you for having me.
Catherine Schenck-yglesias @cgschenck

Catherine Schenck-yglesias completed this course, spending 5 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be medium.

Step by step instructions and maps that you can save after each course assignment. Plus welcome advice from experts on the art of map-making.
Dendup Tshering

Cartography helps us understand our place in the world, analyze positional relationships, and reflect on geography's effect on our daily lives. It's important to note that cartography deals in representations of the world: representations shaped by the...

Cartography helps us understand our place in the world, analyze positional relationships, and reflect on geography's effect on our daily lives. It's important to note that cartography deals in representations of the world: representations shaped by the purpose of the map and intentions of the map maker. Cartography is the process of making maps by displaying a specific geographic area on a surface, usually a flat surface such as paper or a computer screen. ... Some common types of maps are general reference maps, nautical and aeronautical charts, and thematic maps. only cartographers made maps. Today anyone can. Still, cartographers can teach people to make better maps, just as chefs can show people how to cook better meals. With coaching from experienced cartographers and practical, hands-on exercises using ArcGIS Pro, you'll become a smarter mapmaker, ready to go beyond the defaults and make better maps. Overall, cartography is a mixture of art, science, and technology. In this respect, cartographers find their jobs challenging and enjoyable. Cartographer jobs (only doing cartography) are becoming rare. It's difficult to find a job just doing cartography, as you'll have to be skilled in other fields as well.
Nurul Huda Anggraeni

As Data Scientist and Analyst, This course makes me feel better to learn and learn about cartography skills. That's an amazing course for me. Thank you MOOC Teams
Anonymous

This course is an incredible way to learn about cartography because it doesn't only teach cartography, but it also allows for students to grow a deeper interest through the sections of each week's video. I recommend that anyone interested in cartography with any level of experience gives this course a try.
Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

Excellent intro to effectively communicating with cartography using Esri ArcGIS Pro software (aka ArcPro). On completion of the course, the student may download a certificate. The course is divided up into 6 sections, and each section begins with a...

Excellent intro to effectively communicating with cartography using Esri ArcGIS Pro software (aka ArcPro). On completion of the course, the student may download a certificate.

The course is divided up into 6 sections, and each section begins with a video followed by exercise lessons, a quiz and a MOOC forum participation component. The videos are of the instructors discussing the topic of the week, a "show and tell" of a few old-school cartography tools (so you appreciate modern computer tools!) and pet peeves or "cartofails". The lessons exercises are very well written with screenshots (PDF format). Data used in the exercise is provided via download. The lessons begin with step-by-step instruction; next level refers back to steps learned earlier (with reminder hints); and finally directs a task to be performed without providing hints back to the steps which were relies on steps done earlier in a similar task. An optional "stretch" or challenge task is given for those who wish to challenge themselves further and receive feedback.

Some technical comments:
ArcPro: Software download, only runs on Windows 10. Free license granted for the duration of MOOC plus about one week afterwards. Software is graphically intensive, so program may run slowly on an entry level laptop.

Videos: May be viewed from any browser. However, some may experience viewing problems since the video server domain (amazonaws.com) is on a network security blacklist for phishing. (Try watching the video from a different network.)

This is a very informative course for learning cartography basics, and to get familiar with ArcPro. Highly recommended!
Hongji

I learned a lot of Cartography skills and techniques. I have seen many creative stories and ideas. I gained experience and interest in mapping. Most importantly, I love cartography and maps more. I see the connection that maps bring to the world that...

I learned a lot of Cartography skills and techniques.

I have seen many creative stories and ideas.

I gained experience and interest in mapping.

Most importantly, I love cartography and maps more. I see the connection that maps bring to the world that has never been cut off.

Maps represent communication and connection. In which, it is our flowing emotion and thinking. We divided into tributaries. And together again. We embrace each other. And reborn.

When you and I are drawing a map of the same place, our map must look different, but we are imagining the same place and ourselves there. If one day we meet, please share your map with me, and we will form a more beautiful map story.

I highly recommend this course!

https://www.esri.com/training/catalog/596e584bb826875993ba4ebf/cartography./
Anonymous

This is one of the better online classes I have taken. The examples are well thought out and the instructions are clear. I liked the videos and thought they helped my understanding. Too many classes teach how to do things and there is little emphasis on why to do them. The videos and some of the explanatory text in the projects explained the "why" very well. I think this will give me a better ability to use the material I learned in the future on unrelated projects. I think my maps in the future will be easier to understand as well as looking better as a result of taking this course. I will look at the additional resources provided with the class later as well as the work of the cartographers mentioned in the videos.
Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

Fun to learn.
Appreciate the design of the exercises, and the hard work in the preparation of data for use, and the detailed instructions.

Need to find better ways to interact with other classmates in the MOOC. The forum is OK, but not so exciting.
Anonymous

This is a great course! The videos are fun and informative. The "homework" is in written form so you don't have to follow along with a video, and each of the steps is clearly documented. The text itself is clearly checked by someone who uses the software...

This is a great course! The videos are fun and informative. The "homework" is in written form so you don't have to follow along with a video, and each of the steps is clearly documented. The text itself is clearly checked by someone who uses the software regularly, and I (a complete newbie to the software) was able to follow the homework without issue. It's an incredible opportunity to use ArcGIS software for free. (You get access from the beginning of the course until about a week afterward.) I recommend this course for map lovers -- and design lovers. The main "gist" is that you shouldn't use the defaults in the software if you want to make beautiful maps, and -more importantly- that you should make conscious decisions in your map making. It's a great crash course in visual information design theory.
Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

Cartography was an amazing MOOC. You learn so much in so little time, and it isn't as overwhelming as it might seem when you look at the pages in each exercise! They go through each step in an interactive exercise using the ArcGIS Pro application, so...

Cartography was an amazing MOOC. You learn so much in so little time, and it isn't as overwhelming as it might seem when you look at the pages in each exercise! They go through each step in an interactive exercise using the ArcGIS Pro application, so we're all comfortable with the real deal. We went over all the nitty-gritty steps until we were finally comfortable, and we were challenged through some of the in-exercise challenges and the #stretch goals. We learned about the different projections used in a map, what the pros and cons are, and how to decide which map we'd like to use depending on the type of information we're trying to show. We also learned how to use typography and graphicacy to make our maps more expressive in all the right ways, while keeping unnecessary impact to a minimum by toning down the hues or taking away from of the clustered labeling.

Overall, it was an amazing class. There's always a lot to learn and all the cartographers present in the MOOC were enthusiastic about us, as students of cartography, reaching out and taking initiative to learn and experience more.
Anonymous

This was a great course and helps a lot in ArcGIS and map making skills. The course helps with showing different skills that can be used to make a map and the content of the course is easy to understand and the material have been very useful to help in learning different ways of making maps.
Anonymous

This Cartography MOOC was super instructive and hands-on. As a newbie to the world of Cartography, I learned so much and never felt lost or confused. There is sufficient material and additional challenge exercises that someone with more experience can also learn and gain a lot from the course.
Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

Whether you are brand new to working with spatial data or have been a long-time veteran of ArcGIS, this is an excellent course that provides a broad yet detailed overview of basic principles of cartography with exceptionally well-explained exercises and...

Whether you are brand new to working with spatial data or have been a long-time veteran of ArcGIS, this is an excellent course that provides a broad yet detailed overview of basic principles of cartography with exceptionally well-explained exercises and activities. Largely a self-directed class, this MOOC focuses on becoming familiar with and utilizing ArcGIS Pro and working through a variety of exercises focused on using different projections, data classification, how to label maps at different scales, thematic maps, and how to construct 3D maps. Although I have taken coursework in GIS, this was an excellent refresher on basic tools and processes in ArcGIS Pro and additionally taught me a lot about aesthetics and effectively communicating visual data to various audiences. Highly recommended.
Anonymous

Cartography offers engaging videos with opportunities for diverse, hands-on mapping exercises. The class forum offers students a dynamic platform to interact with instructors and with each other to share successes and troubleshoot challenges. Thank you, ESRI Cartography MOOC Team!
Anonymous

It is very educative and well packaged. It can drag at the start but really ends with a bang. There is a lot to learn. This is a wonderful way to give back to the community. Great job ESRI. In Uganda we say, mwebale muno/mwebare munonga/mwebale nyo/apwoyo matek and many others.
Anonymous

While the course if full of good information, videos are too chatty. I want substance, not banter.
And now I am filling this with nothing because they require a minimum length of the review. This is forcing me to create the same chatty nothing that prompted the critique.
Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

Overall it was very good. I learned some new techniques for making better maps and I have already started implementing some of the strategies in my maps I've been working on the last few weeks. The exercises were very detailed and quite easy to follow...

Overall it was very good. I learned some new techniques for making better maps and I have already started implementing some of the strategies in my maps I've been working on the last few weeks. The exercises were very detailed and quite easy to follow most of the time. However, I do have to say it always took at least twice as long as it said it would to complete an exercise. Perhaps that was because I was getting used to ArcGis Pro. The ones in section 3 seemed to be the longest, there was multiple ones, which required creating new layers again and again. It might be because my computer is slow too. Perhaps an exercise which factors in slower computers and stating a more resaonable/average time for completing them would be good thing to think about. Other than that, it was great!
Anonymous

I have used the GIS software since the version of ArcView v3x, and move to ArcGIS v8x (2005) until the present time uses ArcGIS Desktop v10.8x.

And now on, I am starting to learn ArcGIS Pro, and slowly migrates from ArcGIS Desktop. One of my favorite things to learn about this software is, the new ribbon, it makes the user more effective to do the task.

I thought if you want to explore the cartography section, you should be thinking of your machine as you will work with many raster images that will reduce your memory of the machine.

The last, I am enjoying for having this MOOC - Cartography.
Anonymous

I would like to thank you for this useful and good course in clarifying cartography and the meaning of the map and its usefulness in describing geospatial data in a better and easier way. Thank you. Thank you.

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