Esri to Launch New Spatial Data Science MOOC

Esri, the provider of location intelligence, announced it will offer a new massive open online course (MOOC) on spatial data science early this year. The no-cost course, which will run for six weeks on Esri's Training website, includes full access to ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Notebooks software.

Spatial Data Science: The New Frontier in Analytics opens on February 26 and provides a comprehensive introduction to how incorporating location enhances traditional data science workflows.

"Spatial data science builds on foundational data science techniques and adds the spatial perspective that really makes a huge difference in the outcomes of an analysis," said Lauren Bennett, software development lead on Esri's spatial analysis and data science team.

The course includes video presentations by Esri experts, discussion forums, and hands-on software exercises. Participants will discover how including spatial data and spatial analysis tools and techniques can dramatically improve predictive modeling, uncover previously hidden patterns, and solve problems.

"At its core, spatial data science is about solving problems," Bennett continued, "using spatial algorithms, taking the latest and greatest techniques (statistics, machine learning, deep learning) and all the tried and true, more traditional techniques to turn data into information."

Each section of the course will focus on a specific topic and application of spatial data science. From data engineering and visualization to suitability modeling, pattern detection, space-time pattern mining, and object detection with deep learning, participants will explore a wide range of scenarios using realistic data and powerful ArcGIS tools.

And while many practitioners emphasize craft when sharing results, course authors champion the notion that successful analysts and data scientists must be able to effectively communicate the impact of their work with leaders and colleagues. For this reason, the final section of the course will explore the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps to craft visually appealing and information-rich narratives that resonate.

Spatial Data Science: The New Frontier in Analytics is open to learners worldwide. All that's needed to attend is an Esri account, which is free and easy to create at accounts.esri.com.

Participants with a background in statistics, data science, and Python are encouraged to attend, but anyone interested in exploring technology hot topics and learning the latest analytical capabilities of ArcGIS software will benefit as well. A certificate of completion will be awarded to all participants who finish the course.