Oak Cliff Interactive - Student ArcMap2GMap Project

Student-Created Map: Oak Cliff Interactive

Want to discuss this political science student's work to show an example of the effectiveness of our library's GIS workshop program and our endeavor to create customized tools to increase the access and attractiveness of geospatial resources.

Have been working this semester with Charles Jackson, an enthusiastic political science student to develop an interactive map for an undergraduate public affairs course. Charles, (who gave me permission to discuss his project here), first attended the Google Maps workshop I held earlier this semester. He was so excited about the idea of creating an interactive map that he spent countless hours (at least 80) in the GIS lab learning how to access business location information, various demographic datasets, pull them all into ArcMap, and create an interactive map using our ArcMap2GMap script. I tell you, his enthusiasm was so infectious and always got other students (at nearby computers) and myself excited as well.

Oak Cliff is an old neighborhood south of Dallas, and Charles is working to develop a revitalization plan. The Oak Cliff Interactive map is the community services component. He explained to me numerous times that there has never before been a comprehensive analysis of the services/resources available to Oak Cliff's residents. This interactive map allows users to view various business, non-business, and housing facilities in Oak Cliff. If an address is geocoded, the 10 closest facilities of each visible facility type is listed, along with links to driving directions.

Hopefully, the professor will be impressed enough to begin encouraging future students to integrate geospatial resources within their projects. I will follow up with the professor and see what happens...