Web GIS in development: From research and teaching perspectives

Abstract

With the prevalence of the Internet and mobile devices, the visualization and presentation of geographical data are not limited to paper-based maps anymore. Geographical Information Science (GIS) web services are the software components that host spatial data and GIS functionalities that can be accessed and integrated into customized GIS applications through the Internet. Developers utilize GIS web services for custom applications that process geographical information without having to maintain a full GIS system or the associated spatial data. Two key benefits of web-based GIS distribution systems are the increased interaction with users and connections to a wider audience and its advanced data integration capabilities. With a number of projects and cases in Canada, the potential of Web GIS is demonstrated from a research perspective in the fields of migration, communication, culture, etc. The fast development of Web GIS will not only help improve the research in academia but also has the potential to benefit public society as a whole. Therefore, the transmission of capabilities in Web GIS to students via university teaching is also discussed. Web GIS has brought up inexorably changes to the teaching of GIS. These changes present both opportunities and challenges for educators and students.