Esri India launches free Digital Atlas Programme to make geography learning interactive
New Delhi, Sept 8 (INB) Esri India has launched a free Digital Atlas Programme for schools across the country to make geography education more interactive and encourage students to explore real-world issues through maps, data and geographic information system (GIS) technology, it said on Tuesday.
The programme, supported through ArcGIS Online, provides curriculum-linked content and ready-to-use resources to help teachers create classroom learning experiences that encourage curiosity, exploration and inquiry, Esri India said in a statement.
The initiative aims to help students move beyond simply using maps to investigating geographic patterns, understanding relationships between people, places and the environment, and developing their own insights and projects. "Through the Digital Atlas Program, we want to make geography learning more engaging for school students," Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India, said.
The programme encourages students to ask questions such as why a phenomenon occurs at a particular location, what factors are connected to it and what geographic patterns indicate, Kumar said. Giving the example of urban flooding, he said students could use maps and data to investigate where flooding occurred, why it happened, how many people were affected and what measures could help prevent similar incidents in the future.
"The Digital Atlas Program brings together maps, data, and context to drive this kind of inquisitiveness," Kumar said, adding that its curriculum-linked approach would help make geography learning more engaging in classrooms. Esri India said GIS is increasingly being used to understand and address challenges arising from a rapidly changing world.
Introducing spatial thinking at the school level can help students develop the ability to examine real-world challenges from a geographic perspective, it stated. The company said the programme builds on its experience of working with schools, colleges and universities to introduce students to GIS and geospatial technologies.
Established in 1996, Esri India Technologies Pvt Ltd provides GIS software, location intelligence and mapping solutions in India. The company said its ArcGIS technology is used by more than 6,500 organisations across government, private, academic and non-profit sectors.