Geopresentations on an iPad! Or any other device using ArcGIS.com Map Viewer, the “one-foot high jump” intro to GIS. From its birth a year ago, ArcGIS Explorer Online has been able to create presentations ( Fun With GIS #80), but they were originally available for viewing only on the same tool. Since Explorer Online uses the Microsoft Silverlight browser plugin, full Macs and PCs could make and view presentations, but iPads could not. Now, however, the ArcGIS.com Map Viewer can read and play these presentations. It’s a great asset, as presentations can now play on any Javascript-capable browser, including smartphones and tablets, and school labs lacking plugins.

To demo, I steered my iPad to ArcGIS.com and typed “communityatlas” (all one word) in the search window.

Two options appeared, so I clicked the “WashDC” version, and went to an ArcGIS.com Map Viewer display. Over on the left, there is a new choice: “View Presentation”

When clicked, this launches a new browser window, with controls at the bottom. Users have full control to pan and zoom (including pinch/spread on iPad), and wander back and forth between frames.

Because users of ArcGIS Explorer Online can build any number of projects, with lots of intro GIS experience embedded, this is a tremendous development that will help new users grasp key concepts and skills that are crucial for GIS, while learning solid STEM (including social studies) content.

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