Vector/Vectoria, be yourself at these GIS Workshops
Get over to Chez Scholars’ Lab for the hottest GIS workshops in town. And fear not, our references may be from the nineteen hundreds, but much like the themes of that movie, the content of these workshops is ahead of its time.
Spring semester is when we shift gears and turn our workshop focus to ArcGIS Online (AGOL), Esri’s GIS solution for the cloud. AGOL is browser-based, eliminating any Windows vs. Mac shenanigans, and allowing us to provide temporary access to members of the community that don’t have UVA credentials. Not sure what the difference is between ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online? Mark Patterson sums it up well here. Still not sure? As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.
- Sessions are one hour and assume participants have no previous experience using GIS. These will be hands-on demonstrations with step-by-step tutorials.
- We will meet in-person in the Scholars’ Lab (Shannon Library 308) on Wednesdays from 2PM to 3PM, and openly welcome the UVA and larger Charlottesville community.
- Walk-ins are welcome, but due to limited seating, we strongly encourage registering using the links below or at our Events page. If you’re waitlisted, please contact us at uvagis@virginia.edu.
- Class materials will be made available on the Spring 2026 Workshops tab of our Teaching Resources page.
- We will not be offering a virtual option this semester. We apologize for any inconvenience.
- Please note, these workshops are not intended for course instruction. If you’re here at the direction of your professor, or if you’re teaching a class and would like to include GIS instruction, please contact us at uvagis@virginia.edu.
January 28th - Introduction to ArcGIS Online
ArcGIS Online is the cloud-based younger sibling of ArcGIS Pro. It can’t do some of the less flashy, GISy kind of things, but it’s in the cloud, it’s connected, which adds all the hip functionality we’ve come to expect. With ArcGIS Online, you can find and create spatial data, maps, and applications. Access a limited but powerful set of analysis tools that take advantage of cloud computing and pre-configured data and resources. Share and collaborate with small groups or with the world. It’s an easy-to-use entry into the world of GIS, all from the comfort of your browser.
February 4th - Find and Create Spatial Data
Start your data search with AGOL’s collection of geographic information from around the globe. Not finding the data you seek? We’ll cover how to create your own data, and how to share it with the world.
February 11th - Collect Data in the Field
Whether you are crowd sourcing spatial data or performing survey work, having an application that records location and uploads data directly to a mapping application is incredibly useful.
February 18th - Web Mapping and Visualization
Pop-ups, filters, clustering, advanced symbology. There are many ways to personalize your maps, enhancing the story your data tells. We’ll dive into some of the more advanced functionality that allows you to fine-tune your Web Maps. Don’t be put off by “advanced”, though, this session is beginner friendly.
February 25th - Spatial Analysis with ArcGIS Online
Perform basic analysis with tools like Buffer and Spatial Join. Or, enhance your data, taking advantage of the always up-to-date elevation, streets, and demographics data available in ArcGIS Online with tools like Create Viewshed, Find Nearest, and Enrich. Come for the learning and stay for stories about the old days when we had to create all that data ourselves. Uphill. Both ways!!
March 4th - Spring Break, No Workshop!
Enjoy a break. We’ll see you next week!
March 11th - Instant Apps and More
Dip your toes into the world of web GIS applications with AGOL’s quick-configure app builders. We’ll explore a few of the many options for enriching your map and data with focused applications. From time animation to interactive multimedia, these easy-to-use templates and builders take your data to the next level.
March 18th - Introduction to ArcGIS StoryMaps
StoryMaps is a website builder that makes it easy to add narritive and multimedia context to your ArcGIS Online maps. Whether telling a story, giving a tour, or comparing historic maps, StoryMaps is an easy-to-use tool that allows you to create a polished web presentation.