Digimap for Schools Mapstream Resources

At the start of the year I finished off a project with EDINA, who operate the Digimap for Schools MapStream service, in association with the Ordnance Survey.
This is a little like the Digimap for Schools tool, but without the tools...
Subscribers to MapStream will find that they have access to the Ordnance Survey's mapping at the same scale as Digimap, but the difference is that they stream them into their own GIS software using a WMS (web mapping service) - this works with open-source options such as Quantum GIS, but also ArcGIS and even Google Earth (I was amazed when I first saw this in action...)

One advantage of this option is that the maps are streamed to your GIS as an extra layer, so there is no data storage / installation issue. Having said that, you need a reliable and fairly fast internet connection if you want the maps of course. The cost is much cheaper than Digimap, but you need to use the tools in your GIS client, rather than the ones provided by Digimap. This may require extra time on training how to use your chosen GIS package.

If you head over to the site, you will now find that there are the first of what will be a series of educational materials for teachers, available for free download. These are particularly designed for subscribers to the MapStream service.
I wrote the materials, the cover of one is pictured to the right....
Check them out.
Subscription is just £35 a year for a primary school and £50 for a secondary school.

I will be referring to this, as well as other mapping options in my GA CPD days which will take place in Birmingham at the end of May and London at the start of June.

EDINA.... and Aldeburgh

One of the projects I've spent a lot of time on over the last few months is some writing for EDINA
It's aimed at linking a new product called OS Mapstream
There is information about the service HERE.
I've JUST FINISHED this new set of materials.

While I was creating them, a story with relevance to the use of this tool, and mapping emerged which is worth mentioning here.
The first stage was that Tesco wanted to open a store in Aldeburgh, and this is dividing the community apparently.
They were poised to turn down the store, due to flood issues....
However, there is a final twist to the Aldeburgh tale....

The store did get planning permission....

Come and visit the OS MapStream page, where the resources will be added once they have been designed and turned into PDFs.

World GIS Day 2012

It's tomorrow... what are you planning to do in your school or workplace ?
I'm going to be creating some new GIS resources for GIS Day.
In the past I've attended various events around the country, while working at the GA, and there's a wealth of activity out there.

Here's a video about the day, and why GIS matters:



I'm going to be using the day to continue working on some materials for the OS MapStream service. These will add to the materials that I already produced, with Paula Owens, for the Digimap for Schools service earlier in the year.

Find out more about OS MapStream HERE.

Whatever you get up to on World GIS Day, keep mapping !

Update
Just added two new GA Online GIS / Google Earth / ArcGIS Explorer Online courses in May/June 2013 - details to be announced shortly....

OS Digimap for Schools MapStream - coming soon....

Earlier this year, I was involved in producing a major pack of resources for subscribers to the Ordnance Survey's Digimap for School mapping product.

Paula Owens of the GA and myself produced over 70 resources which would take students from Early Years up to GCSE level (with the ideas being transferrable beyond that...)

I am now going to be working on some ideas for Edina's MapStream product.

This product will be available shortly.
An annual subscription will be £35 for a Primary school, and £50 for a Secondary school...


This is less than half the price of Digimap for Schools.
The difference is that the stream will just be supplying the Ordnance Survey maps to an existing piece of software that the school can use to view the maps.

It uses something called WMS: web map service. This means that the data is streamed in. Maps can also be embedded on websites.

It works with ArcGIS software, open source packages such as QGIS or Quantum GIS - also something called gvSIG (as used on a training course I went on at the British Antarctic Survey a couple of years back) which is Portuguese originally.
It will also work with Google Earth and Aegis 3 I understand, the latter with a Mapstream module.

The service is perhaps designed for those who want to use Ordnance Survey mapping products, but would prefer to use them in a 'client' of their choice. In other words, if you already have something that can access WMS you can just pay for the mapping data, which you don't need to worry about storing on your own network.


More to come as I get stuck into this new mapping option, and look at how it can be used effectively in the geography classroom....