Learning ArcGIS

We released our first ArcGIS Pro instructor-led course early this year and it’s been a hit. Lots of organizations want their GIS staff prepared to work productively with the latest ArcGIS for Desktop application. Of course, one of the many cool things about ArcGIS Pro is its seamless 2D/3D visualization, editing, and analysis capabilities.

That 3D part—as cool as it is—is where we hit a snag. The instructor-led online classroom is a convenient and popular training option that provides the A factor—accessibility. Students can attend an online class and benefit from an instructor-led experience, even if their office is far from one of our physical classrooms.

With our partner ReadyTech, we provide a complete virtual lab setup for each online class. Students access a remote virtual machine provisioned with all Esri and other software required to complete course exercises.

Unfortunately, though it is popular, we have not been able to teach the ArcGIS Pro course in the online classroom. Streaming 3D content over the Internet is a challenge. Due to the size of the data, hardware and graphics requirements are much different than for our standard 2D virtual lab environment.

We needed a 3D solution, and now we have one.

After months of research and testing, we’re happy to announce that our current ArcGIS Pro course and future ArcGIS Pro courses will be available in the online classroom.

3D workflows are important to many professionals in the planning, geodesign, natural resources, defense, and other industries. With ArcGIS Pro, 3D workflows are easier to perform and results are easier to share.

The online classroom will help us provide greater access to ArcGIS Pro training going forward.

“We needed to assure that any solution met our requirements, including streaming performance, class management tools, and support. What the project team found was that many vendors are working toward optimized virtual 3D systems, including cloud-based systems, but most just aren’t there yet, ” said Ben Schmitz, Esri Training Services project manager.

Working closely with the Software Development and Performance Engineering teams, we identified and tested the proper configuration to deliver a good ArcGIS Pro experience in the online classroom. ReadyTech agreed to custom-build a 3D-optimized virtual lab environment that meets our needs.

As in our 2D classes, ArcGIS Pro students can now attend class using any HTML5-enabled web browser and a high-speed wired connection.

“ArcGIS Pro performance in the remote 3D lab is very good. Students should find it easy and enjoyable to achieve their learning objectives, ” said Schmitz.

We see in 3D, we work in 3D, and we should be able to remotely learn in 3D. Now we can. No special glasses required.