5: Introduction to Web Mapping and Serving Geospatial Data on the Web

Lesson Goals

Students understand general elements of a Web map, gain an understanding of the concept of tiling used in Web mapping applications, and get experience working with their own web-mapping server, Geoserver.

Lesson Outcomes

Students understand:

• The concepts of Basemaps, Thematic Layers, and Interactive Elements found in Web Map applications;
• The idea of “tiling” and “pyramids” of images for use in Web mapping;
• The role of a map server, like “Geoserver” in Web mapping, and in particular, for the serving of thematic layers.

Using the tools we have used up until now (pgAdmin, QGIS, Postgres, PostGIS) students can:

• Create a PostGIS database with an important shapefile stored in it;
• Set up a local geoserver on their own laptop computer and administer it;
• Create a WFS using their PostGIS database and their newly running Geoserver;
• Access their WFS through QGIS.