See what others can't see

Learn fundamental GIS concepts, how and where to download local community data to analyze demographics to mapping (geocoding) your customers, incidents or patients. Perform fundamental GIS operations using spatial analysis tools. On campus students use GPS and introduced to drone technology to collect new data and imagery in the field and transfer to GIS. Course is available entirely partially online if you cannot come to campus. Class is transferable to CSU and Claremont Graduate University.  

When you look at the world, what do you see? Where others see chaos, we see patterns.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) supports public leaders in uncovering these disparities in housing, health care services, food access, education, transportation, and employment that influence equity and opportunity gaps among students. 

You engage in spatial thinking and use GIS ... you search for the fastest and perhaps safest route to campus today, you perhaps searched your value of home on  Zillow . You ordered an item on Amazon (and it arrived the same day). Perhaps you neighbor called 911 and they arrived in minutes .. the call data is collected and used to show the amount of calls per council district to press support for a new fire station in locations exceeding 5 min call time. (for which reason I may add that GIS skills are marketable and used in most industries).

GIS lends itself to a deeper understanding to uncover otherwize unobtainable correlation to various variables. GIS provides a spatial understanding and problem solving skills ... such as providing access to community based data (and more) to understand and share about their communities, explore disparities and determine opportunities.

What are Census tracts? The Census is performed every 10 years and the 2020 is now underway ... btw they are  hiring  for census takers to collect information in your neighborhood!

you jump out a plane .. the first thing you see is the United States .. as you fall, the US breaks into States ... as you fall further, CA state breaks into what?

Spatial analysis allows you to solve complex location-oriented problems and better understand where and what is occurring in your world. It goes beyond mere mapping to let you study the characteristics of places and the relationships between them. Spatial analysis lends new perspectives to your decision-making and classrooms discussions involving locating, filtering and extracting the correct data to address spatial problems... much of that data is available online

• How is my community different to another community?... any why?
• Why are there more environmental issues in my area?
• How can I effectively show the need for more public transportation?
• Why is it that my neighborhood is safer than yours?
• How is it that homes in my communities are higher value that other areas? ... because of less or more tree canopy? Crime? Proximity to better schools?
• Where ..

Inaccessibility of these tools is true for many public schools, particularly low-income Communities of Color, can deny students opportunity to become sufficiently literate in these new technologies to compete in an ever-growing and rapidly advancing high-tech society. However, Rio Hondo College have better labs and other resources compared to many universities public and especially private.

GIS as a General Education Course? More campuses are exploring GIS as GE under categories of Quantitative Thinking (Rio Hondo College) or Critical Thinking (CSULB).

Public Offices unlocking the access to governmental data including GIS resources.

For more information on the Rio Hondo GIS Certificate, AS Degree, module support, class presentations and Esri account you can contact Prof Warren Roberts  wroberts@riohondo.edu  |  www.riohondo.edu/gis