GIS-Helios - Ein Mapserver-basiertes GIS-Tutorial

We describe an internet based server/client teaching software which shows the basic concepts and functionality of a vector GIS to a user who does not own a GIS program. The system not only presents theoretical knowledge, but encourages the learner to work interactively with provided data, as well as his own. In this way, the level of problem oriented learning is at least approximately achieved. The system uses a data model which is a slight simplification of the model used by ArcView. It is reduced to the administration of attributed vector data, where special importance is attached to the demonstration of how to link geometrical to tabular data. The user can interactively alter data, join geometrical to tabular data, select objects according to attribute values, create buffers around objects, intersect themes, and integrate his own data sets into the system. The system comes with a realistic exercise which allows the user to apply the most important GIS functions.