Request Software ¦ GIS Resources ¦  Contact Info/Training

Alaska K12 GIS Distribution Center

Alaska is one of  the first states in the nation to provide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software throughout its entire educational system, thanks to an unprecedented partnership agreement between Esri, the world’s leading GIS software developer, the University of Alaska, and the State’s Department of Education.  This license allows every public, private and charter K-12 school, as well as K-12 education clubs and organizations throughout the state unprecedented access to Esri’s state-of-the-art GIS tools.  This is only official site in the state where you can request and receive the industry-standard software at no charge. (Please note: The software is available for K-12 educational instruction,; it is not for university instruction private or commercial work, nor can it be shared with unlicensed people.)

AVAILABLE SOFTWARE
ArcGIS Desktop and extensions
ArcGIS Online for Organization subscription accounts
Community Analyst
Business Analyst Online
ArcPad

HOW TO GET THE SOFTWARE
For details on requesting the latest version of the free GIS software, visit the Request Software page.

OTHER GIS RESOURCES
Why use GIS in the classroom?  How are other K-12 educators using GIS in the classroom?  How can GIS skills help prepare Alaskan students for their lives after graduation?  Visit the GIS Resources page to find out.

GIS TRAINING
For information on receiving training and technical assistance in Alaska for the K-12 Esri GIS software, visit the Contacts/Training page.

Alaska’s Digital Sandbox

www.alaskadigitalsandbox.org
Alaska’s Learning Network resource database provides quality model learning objects available 24/7 for free, to all Alaskan educators.  All 54 Alaskan districts have free access to this, thanks to E2T2 funding combined with the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant received by the University of Alaska.

The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development works collaboratively with all educational entities in Alaska to vet quality products and provide them through iTunesU (through Alaska Association of School Boards) as well as through another national digital repository aligned to common core that Alaska is leading the charge on.  Resources (artifacts) that meet the rigorous “AKLN Seal of Approval” for quality will be posted on AKLN’s Resource page, available to all, as well as on iTunesU and other web-based places.

The work on collecting artifacts began with a statewide competition that was web-based for uploading submissions as well as judging for quality with an online score sheet tied to the National Education Technology Standards (NETS).  Awardees were announced at the Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) conference in February 2011.  Grantees then worked with AKLN staff to take their artifact model and align it with Alaska state standards and a common format for publishing in Alaska’s Digital Sandbox in July, 2011.  Thanks to the collaboration of funds from E2T2, BTOP, and ASTE, teachers were able to purchase equipment and further opportunities for their school to integration technology into core content areas.

Stay tuned for AKLN Seal of Approval quality resources available here.

Click here to download a summary of the BTOP Professional Content Review Process for educators who would like to receive individual feedback and/or hope to receive the “AKLN Seal of Approval.”