Teaching and Learning with ArcGIS Story Maps

• Learn why, where, and how to use story maps in your instruction and research.  

• Equip you with skills to teach and learn content using existing story maps.

• Empower faculty and students to create story maps.  

Story Maps are simple web apps that combine interactive maps, multimedia content, and user experiences to tell stories about the world.

Story Maps can be saved, shared, and embedded. They can receive real-time data feeds and combined with surveys and other GIS elements.

Story maps are:

1. Part of the ArcGIS platform.
2. Provide an engaging, rich way to teach content.
3. Foster technical skills: GIS, multimedia (media fluency), data.
4. Foster critical and spatial thinking.
5. Foster skills in organization, ethics, permissions.
6. Foster communication skills - digital, written, and oral.
7. Assessment instruments.
8. Tools that support research.

1. Teach content using existing story maps.
2. Create your own story maps to summarize a hands-on activity, research project, field work, etc.
3. As a key component in GIS and GIScience courses.

Spend a few minutes to find a story map that is interesting and/or one that you might be able to use in your own instruction or research. Be prepared to share with the class.

Story Maps with teachable moments:

 The Age of the Anthropocene .

 Why are people moving? 

 Philadelphia livability  embedded map.

 Why are right whales dying? ... with solution  from student.

 School event  story map combining UAV work, Survey123, and Experience Builder from student. 

Connect with your audience.

Lead people in.

User experience supports the story.

Easy to read maps.

Strive for simplicity.

1. Make use of My Stories to manage your content.
2. Give context of where your map is located.
3. Keep tabs on tabs—where are you logged in?
4. Is your map auto-saving?
5. Use folders in ArcGIS Online to keep organized.
6. Model good practice of permitted use of imagery.
7. Be mindful of image size, map content, and device types.

1. The story maps available for use in education are rapidly expanding.

2. The tools to create story maps are rapidly evolving and becoming more varied and easier to use.

3. Good planning makes for a good story map.

You can ignore the above advice, but then your story maps will be... wait for it ! ... sorry maps. ---Joseph Kerski

The whys and hows of doing so are described  here . With links to Amanda Huber's story map and Joseph Kerski's story map.

 Classic Story Maps 

 ArcGIS Story Maps. 

Let's build a story map focused on a student field trip to glacial and fluvial landscape features as part of an undergraduate geomorphology class.   The end goal is to create a map that looks similar to the following. Note: In this workshop, time does not permit us to go through every step, but the full lesson is provided so that you can work independently and explore additional tools.

Go to:  https://community.esri.com/community/education/blog/2019/06/24/a-hands-on-lesson-in-the-new-story-maps-tools  > download and unzip attachment. This attachment contains the images, links, and text that you need to build this story map.

 Go to:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com  > Sign in > Create New Story.

[Title]

A Geomorphology Field Trip

[Subtitle]

Investigating glacial and fluvial landforms: Rivers, wetlands, moraines, and sand dunes.

[Cover image: “in1_moraine_sign.jpg”]

[Byline]

By < your initials >| Today’s Date

[Text]

“Traveling—it gives you home in thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land.”

—Ibn Battuta

[Text]

Students in a geomorphology course took to the field to learn about drainage divides and landforms created by glacial processes, prevailing winds, rivers, and more. This particular field trip included 4 sites as described below. The case study features Valparaiso University and northwest Indiana landforms, but story maps can enhance any mapping and field data gathering experience. 

Open a separate tab in your browser and go to  www.arcgis.com  > Sign in > search for the map A Geomorphology Field Trip in Northwest Indiana.  The owner of the correct map with this name, for this activity, is jjkerski. Under the thumbnail, click “Add to Favorites.” 

Go back to your browser tab where you are editing your story map.

[Map]

> My favorites > select the geomorphology map, which should now appear in your favorites from the previous step. Zoom in to the largest scale such that all 4 field trip sites are visible > Place Map.

Overwrite the default caption with the following text: Map showing 4 study sites for the geomorphology field trip in northwest Indiana. This map was created by uploading a data table with latitude and longitude coordinates and attributes about each field site to ArcGIS Online, and then embedded into this story map.

It may be auto-saving, but save your story map here and often throughout this activity.

[Text]

Let's go into the field! Stop 1: A Drainage Divide.

[image]

in2_drainage_divide.jpg

[Text]

What is Mink Lake? How did it form? Mink Lake is a kettle lake--Kettles form when a block of stagnant ice (a serac) detaches from the glacier. Eventually, it becomes wholly or partially buried in sediment and slowly melts, leaving behind a pit. In many cases, water begins fills the depression and forms a pond or lake—a kettle. Latitude 41 31' 35" North, Longitude 87 2' 2" West.

[Text]

This kettle sits atop a major drainage divide (or, watershed boundary)--the boundary that divides the land that drains into Lake Michigan, to the north, with land that drains into the Mississippi River and to the Gulf of Mexico, to the south. Students were asked to indicate the ultimate base elevation to the north or to the south for water. Let's investigate that drainage divide further with the map below in ArcGIS Online, showing two stream traces from two places just to the north and just to the south of the drainage divide. The drainage divide we were standing on is shown as the dotted brown line.

[Map]

> My favorites > select the geomorphology map. Turn on the following layers only: The 2 stream traces, the 2 input points for the traces, the world hydro layer, and the 4 field trip stop map notes > Place Map.

[Text]

Drainage divide and two stream traces. Using the map, zoom in and name all of the streams that water would follow from the drainage divide north to Lake Michigan. Zoom out to identify the Great Lakes through which the water would then flow, and the river it would then follow to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Zoom back to the study area, then zoom out and identify all of the streams that water flowing south from the drainage divide would follow on its journey to the Gulf of Mexico, as well as major cities and state it would pass through. Which water do you estimate faces a longer journey--that flowing into the Atlantic Ocean or that flowing into the Gulf of Mexico?

[image]

in3_documents_in_field.jpg

[Text]

Documents prepared by the professor are helpful items to guide students before a field trip begins, as well as is their own independent or group research. In this case, the professor carefully prepared a series of maps from GIS and other sources, as well as other documents, such as those shown further down in this story map, along with a set of questions, for the students to take into the field. On to Stop 2!

[Text]

Stop 2: A Moraine.

[Image]

in4_students_at_moraine.jpg

[Text]

Sketching and recording observations in the field is an important part of fieldwork. In so doing, students gain skills working as a team, gathering data, and using all 5 senses. Students were asked a series of questions which included, "What are some indications that you are on a moraine and that the entire area is composed of material deposited by a glacier?" and "How has the moraine been static since it was formed? What are some processes that are changing the moraine"? Name at least two processes, and explain how the process results in a change of shape (morphology) of the land. Latitude 41 32' 40" North, Longitude 87 1' 5" West.

[video]

 https://youtu.be/K_ujpxlB3cI    (in the field with geomorphology students 1 of 2).

[Text]

Some reasons why fieldwork is an important part of investigations--both in educational institutions and in the workplace. Plus, some additional images of the fascinating landscape in this area.

[Text]

Stop 3: A Sand Dune. Sand dunes in Indiana? Yes! In fact, the Indiana Dunes is one of the USA’s newest national parks, designated in February 2019.

[Sidecar]

[Image—on the left of your sidecar]

in6_cross_sections.jpg

[Text]

Helpful cross sections prepared by the professor for the students to understand landscape processes in this area.

[in the main (right) body of the sidecar)

in5_dune_front.jpg

This section of your map will look similar to the following:

[on the left of your sidecar: Text]

On the right, one of the tallest in the Indiana Dunes National Park, is called Mt Baldy. Students were asked a series of questions, including the type of dune that Mt Baldy is, why did it form, and to describe evidence for active processes. They also asked measured the angle of the dune with the phone compass app and reflect upon the angle. They also studied why the difference between the coarse and fine sediments on the beach front exposure explains in part a change in local environments and lake level. Latitude 41 42' 25" North, Longitude 86 55' 46" West.

[on the left of your sidecar: image]

in7_dune_n_side.jpg

[Text]

Near the dune crest, view of the north side of the dune with Lake Michigan in the mid-distance, looking northeast. Current and past levels of the lake have had great influence on the development of the Dunes.

[below your side car: Add image]

in8_jjk.jpg

[Text]

Use a wide variety of tools and techniques when you are out in the field to build multiple types of skills. These include field apps (such as GPS and GIS apps such as Motion X GPS and Survey123 from Esri), probes for sensing water quality, temperature and humidity, soil moisture and chemistry, phone sensor apps (such as for Noise), paper & pencil documents, sketch pads, networking with your colleagues, but sometimes just be silent. Finally, use all 5 senses when you are in the field. The importance of getting out into the field cannot be overstated!

In the paragraph above, click on Survey123 and add link:  https://survey123.arcgis.com/ 

[image]

in9_dune_process.jpg

[Text]

Close-up of active rivers of sand running down the sand dune, with compressed shale-looking sand.

[image]

in10_coordinates.jpg

[Text]

Latitude, longitude, and elevation while standing at the lakeshore at the base of the dune.

[Text]

Population Change in this area, with dark blue increasing most; peach color stagnant or decreasing. What influence does population pressure have on this land? Click individual polygons a bar chart. On to Stop 4!

[Text]

Stop 4. A river system.

[image]

in11_river.jpg

[Text]

River valleys are some of the most dynamic landscapes. Here is Imagination Glen. Students were asked, "What are the indications that the area around Salt Creek is part of the creek's widening valley" as their introduction to river and valley geomorphology. Latitude 41 35' 17" North Longitude 87 8' 11" West.

[Text]

Imagination Glen Indiana, on historical USGS topographic map. Interact with this map and visualize the route that Salt Creek takes in this area and where the creek was located, past and present.

[image]

in12_students.jpg

[Text]

Students considered how LWD (Large Woody Debris) affects stream morphology. They considered how humans may cause streams to migrate faster than they would have migrated if left undisturbed.

[image]

in13_wetland.jpg

[Text]

What is this large wetland that forms an arc when viewed from above? Answer: It is a former oxbow lake that is now filling in. What caused it to become abandoned? Next stop: Back to the university campus for discussion, soil and water testing, and some GIS work!

[image]

in14_student_in_lab.jpg

[Text]

Conducting soil tests back in the classroom.

[video]

 https://youtu.be/HyVe95dIexY  (in the field with geomorphology students 2 of 2)

[Map]

Add a Map > Create an Express Map > 

Search and find Valparaiso University (the one in Indiana, not England!) > add a point to the map. Draw a polygon around the campus in the shape below > Place Map. Change caption to Valparaiso U campus. 

Excellent example of the use of an express map: The life of Dolores Huerta:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d3949a65428440819c0c149000441593  

[Button]

Keep Learning, with a link to:

 https://storymaps.arcgis.com/ 

[Separator]

[Paragraph]

A story map like this one can enhance communication in many ways. They can be used to teach content, to communicate the results of research as multimedia web maps and/or in oral presentations, and in other ways.

[Separator]

[Paragraph]

Story Map by < your initials > in a Story Maps workshop with Joseph Kerski, with gratitude to the professors and students from Valparaiso University for taking the course and to their professor for teaching field methods!

[Separator]

Congratulations on your story map!   Consider sharing it with others in your organization so they can see your good work.   

 The survey below was embedded by (1) creating a Survey123; (2) in the collaborate zone in Survey123 > embed; copy the embed code; (3) paste the embed code in this story map.

Sharing | Metadata

Sharing: One way to have multiple users editing maps: Use update groups capability here:  https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-storymaps/constituent-engagement/whats-new-in-arcgis-storymaps-november-2020/   

General Web Searches vs ArcGIS Online searches

Searching: At present, “insert map” in the story map builder mode doesn’t allow you to search all of ArcGIS Online. But say for example my map is here that I want to include in a story map:

 https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=29bf7e73529c41b2b6f445578ec81806   

If you cannot find this map or any map in the future:   1. Sign in to ArcGIS Online. 2. Go to the ITEM page for the map, such as the one above. 3. FAVORITE this. 4. In the storymaps.arcgis.com builder mode, when the person searches favorites, it will be right there in favorites. And then in the builder they can toggle layers on and off as they see fit.

1. Creating a story map from the application launcher in ArcGIS Online.
2. Creating a story map from https://storymaps.arcgis.com
3. ArcGIS Online > map > Create web mapping application > Story Map.
4. Business Analyst Web > Story Map.
5. ArcGIS Pro > ArcGIS Online Map > Story Map.

Example:  Digital Humanities 

 Racial Equity Stories  and  applications .

 Editor's Picks .

Collection Blog:  https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-storymaps/sharing-collaboration/start-your-first-arcgis-storymaps-collection/ 

Collection Tutorial:  https://arcg.is/0TKqWv 

Example of collection: Transportation in the USA - post COVID-19:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/c4be31eda98841f19da8670c1128c24e?item=1 

 Visual storytelling with maps. 

 9 steps to great storytelling. 

 Things you didn't know you could do  with Story Maps.

(1) Because story maps are static web mapping applications, they cannot display live data feeds. True or False?

(2) Once you share a story map with the public, you cannot "unshare" it. True or False? 

1. Lakota Language Story Map:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/70ca199b9b1c4c1ea6b6269b9b60783f 
2.  Sounds of Planet Earth Story map . 100 sounds with a quiz for each sound.
3. Alan Lomax's  Southern Journey 1959-1960 capturing music and stories.  

1. Masters of Tradition – A cultural journey across America.  https://storymaps.esri.com/stories/heritage-fellows/   Received American Association of School Librarians award 2020.
2.  Mt Lemmon Field Trip , Arizona.

1) I consider story maps to be an excellent method of teaching and learning about GIS, but also about core content in sociology, geography, history, mathematics, environmental studies, design, computer science, and other fields. They foster media fluency, problem solving, and communication skills.

2) There is also much value in combining the components of the ArcGIS platform, such as what was done in my " How Walkable is your community " story map. This story map contains a survey, a web map, and a dashboard.

Another example is this course built  using 32 story maps stitched together with the ArcGIS Experience Builder :

Story Maps for the primary and secondary classroom:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/a3aa4a87372b4de7a3b3a23c1778f15f 

Story Maps resources for higher education:  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/2fd68a2fda0149008718dcde6083521b 

The  Getting started with story maps  tutorial.

A Learn path:  Building a winning story with ArcGIS Storymaps. 

 Story Maps training courses  from Esri Training.

 A hands on lesson in the new story maps tools  (Kerski).

My lesson connecting story maps, surveys, dashboards, and maps:  htts://community.esri.com/t5/education-blog/lesson-connecting-surveys-maps-dashboards-and-story-maps/ba-p/883819 

 Teach with Story Maps portal, University of Minnesota . Lessons, rubrics, more.

 Storytelling with maps  - for nonprofits (and others).

 Learn lessons on Story maps  from the Learn ArcGIS library of lessons.

 Storify a planning report  - lesson.

 Share the story of an expedition  - lesson, with focus on Guatemala.

 Planet Story Maps  newsletter that you can read and subscribe to.

 Do-It-Yourself GeoApps  Esri MOOC. Offered at selected times throughout the year.

 Moving to ArcGIS Story Maps  from classic story maps.