My Thoughts on ArcGIS Online Virtual Training:

By: Anna Smith

 

ArcGIS Virtual Training was a unique experience that I found to be extremely helpful. Although the textbook tutorials and exercises are very good at applying your knowledge to real world examples, I find the Virtual Training ensures a good overall understanding of a subject. With the use of video examples, multiple choice questions through-out the tutorials, and review quizzes Virtual Training is an excellent resource for learning new GIS techniques.

 

In comparison to textbook training I believe the Online Virtual Training left me feeling more confident in my knowledge of the technique taught. The video example was helpful in showing the direction you were heading in. Seeing what is expected of you in the beginning was helpful throughout the creation process of the tutorials. Also the immediate feedback on the multiple choice, and fill in the blank questions were extremely helpful. This helped catch misunderstandings right away, instead of further down the line, which is sometimes the case with the textbook tutorials. Lastly, the quizzes at the end of the tutorials asked application questions that were excellent for clarification. The questions highlighted the main take-aways from that specific technique and provided instant feedback. Virtual Training is a wonderful tool for GIS training.