MOOC Exercise 3 Week 1
MOOC Exercise 3 Week 1
Technical note
Software requirements
· ArcGIS Online
Use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Other web browsers may not display your maps and
apps correctly.
For information about supported web browsers for ArcGIS Online, go to ArcGIS Online Help: Supported browsers
(https://links.esri.com/SupportedBrowsers).
Introduction
The power of ArcGIS Instant Apps is that you can choose the way that an audience interacts with your map and data, allowing users to focus solely on
what is important. A large part of this capability is tied to the app template that you choose for your project. You do not have to guess which app
template will best align with your project purpose and intended audience. You can investigate the templates on the Instant Apps home page and
even preview an example of an already created app. With these options at your fingertips, you can find an app template that aligns with your skills
and the intended project layout and design.
Scenario
In this scenario, imagine that you are a secondary school science teacher. Your students have spent the past few weeks studying plate tectonics,
focusing on earthquake and volcano activity. For the first phase of their research, they used an app that you created using the Instant Apps Sidebar
template. This app provided students with the means to discover information about individual earthquakes in relation to other contextual information
such as fault lines and tectonic plates.
For their final project, students will share the results of their earthquake and volcano research to the class. Again, you want to provide a focused
environment, only containing the information that students need. This time, you want to create an app that also enables the students to modify and
share content. You think that that Atlas template may be a good choice, but to confirm, you want to explore it and preview it with your data.
In this exercise, you will investigate an example app created with the Atlas template. You will also preview the app template using some of your own
data to determine if it is the best choice for your project.
Note: The exercises in this course include View Result links. Click these links to confirm that your
results match what is expected.
While some ArcGIS Instant Apps templates allow an audience to explore a map or find locations, other templates are meant to showcase
curated content. The Atlas template not only showcases maps and layers but also includes tools that empower an audience to modify a map
and share their results.
In this step, you will explore an example web app that has been created using the ArcGIS Instant Apps Atlas template.
a Sign in to ArcGIS Online, if necessary, using your course ArcGIS account (username ending in _geoapps).
b In the upper right of the home page, click the Apps button and choose Instant Apps.
c From the template gallery, locate the Atlas template and view the description.
? What kind of actions can you perform with the Atlas template?
- Answer
You can measure distances and areas, view content in 2D or 3D, add layers, adjust
transparency, view data as a table, and export an image.
According to your project goals, you want your students to be able to modify and share content in a focused environment. So far, it seems like
the Atlas app template may be a good choice, but you want to see an example of how it can be used.
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There are three examples listed, and two of the examples have links to view the app, as seen in the following graphic.
d In the Atlas window, in the second example, click the View App button to open the app focused on local initiatives.
The Community Garden Suitability Analysis web app opens in a new tab, centered on Boston, Massachusetts, United States. On the left side of
the app are navigation controls and a language switcher option. At the bottom of the app are lightweight tools to modify and save the map.
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You have the option of adding up to three additional layers to this map. These layers were chosen for this app by the author of the app and are
meant to provide a focused experience. This way, a person using the app does not need to initiate a search in ArcGIS Online or another
location for a layer. For your own project, you also want to provide a curated set of layers for your students to add if they choose.
f Next to the Community Gardens In Boston layer, click the Add button.
A Map Layers window appears in the upper right of the app. It contains the original layers, as well as the community gardens layer that you just
added. Each layer can be viewed in a variety of ways; for example, you can change which layers are visible or display a table of layer features.
i In the Map Layers window, practice exploring the map layers by clicking the tools displayed under each layer.
j After you are finished, close the Community Garden Suitability Analysis web app.
In this step, you explored an example web app created from the Atlas template. You discovered that the template could provide a curated set
of options for your students. Next, you will explore the Atlas template using your own data.
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When deciding on an app template, you may want to preview how your data will appear in the app. While exploring examples of other apps
are helpful, seeing the possibilities of your data within the template can help you make a more informed decision on whether it will work for
your project.
In this step, you will preview a map that you intend to use for the student project in the Atlas template.
a At the top right of the ArcGIS Instant Apps home page, click Choose Map.
The Choose Map window opens and lists any maps saved to My Content.
In this window, you can add a 2D map, a 3D scene, or a group. You will add a map from ArcGIS Online that you used in a previous assignment
for your students. The map contains tectonic plate and fault line layers.
On the Instant Apps home page, the map that you added is now displayed next to Choose Map. Additionally, Instant Apps checked the data
and configuration of the map and displays compatible app templates. Each app template that is compatible with your data now has a Preview
option.
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You now see a preview of what your map and data could look with the Atlas template. Because this view is only a preview, the tools and other
settings have not yet been configured. For instance, if you look at Open Map or Add Layer, you will notice that there are several maps and
layers that may not be relevant to your particular project but are provided as examples. If you decide to use the Atlas template, you can curate
a collection of maps and layers that your students can use in their research, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and landforms.
For a list of key settings and capabilities within the Atlas template, see ArcGIS Instant Apps Help: Atlas
(https://links.esri.com/InstantAppsAtlas).
For their final project, students will share the results of their research to the class. This might include areas and features on the map to which
they want to call attention. You notice that there is a Sketch tool, which will give them the flexibility to mark up their map.
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j At the bottom of the app, click Save.
In this preview, you can save a screenshot as an image or a PDF file. When you configure your app, you will have additional options, including
saving the map and creating a new web app.
k Click Screenshot.
n Use your cursor to select any area on the map, like the one shown in the following graphic.
You are given the option to download the selected map area or to return to the map.
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After previewing the Atlas template with your own data, you are confident that, with this template, you can provide a focused and flexible
environment for your students to modify a map and share the results of their research.
You will end the exercise now, but if you wanted to continue, you could either choose this template and create your app, or go back to the
Instant Apps home page and choose another template.
In this exercise, you investigated an example app made with the Atlas template. You also previewed the Atlas template using some of your
own data. Based on your project requirements and your investigation of the Atlas template, you decided that it is the right template for your
needs.
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