Research Guides: Geography: Geospatial Literacy

Geospatial Literacy

Geospatial literacy is the ability to interpret, use, and present geospatial information and data. Being geospatially literate means being able to extract information from visual or textual geospatial resources and put that information into context and usage. Think of geospatial literacy as, in part, the ability to read a map.

Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Store
A catalog of USGS Publications (current and historic maps, aerial photos, satellite images, datasets, reports) and other products (screensavers, earth science image sets for teaching) available for purchase or for free download.
Google Earth
A user-friendly free downloadable resource which lets you explore the world in 3D including famous landmarks, mountains, etc..
Google Earth Beginner Tutorials
These videos will help get you started using Google Earth and include Searching for Places, Drawing and Measuring, Placemarks and Tours, Exploring Mars, Moon and Sky, Tour of Moon in Google Earth, and What's New in Earth 5.0.
Google Earth Advanced Tutorials
These videos are for the more experienced Google Earth user and include Recording a Tour, Importing KML, KMZ and GPS Data, and Geotagging Photos.

PBS Geospatial Revolution Video Series

Geospatial Revolution Project
Penn State Public Broadcasting, produced several videos to introduce students to Geospatial Technologies using GIS. The project examines the world of digital mapping and how it is changing the way we think, behave, and interact. Geospatial and location-based technologies influence nearly everything.