Location: Zoom (Link will be emailed one day prior to the workshop.)

Overview: This virtual workshop will introduce participants to easy-to-use, pre-designed lessons that incorporate online mapping suitable for the classroom. The workshop will introduce National Geographic’s MapMaker, an easy-to-use, online website that can be used by students and teachers to create online maps for a variety of topics, along with ESRI’s GeoInquiries that are pre-designed lessons that utilize MapMaker for a range of subjects. Unlike ArcGIS Online, MapMaker and GeoInquiries do not require online student accounts! Participants will learn the basics of MapMaker through hands-on exercises while also exploring GeoInquiries and other collections to learn how to incorporate mapping into their teaching.

Facilitators: John Kostelnick (Professor of Geography at Illinois State University) and Judy Bock (Geography and GIS education consultant and retired middle school teacher)

Registration: Please register online by Sunday, June 28, 2026. Space is limited. (Note: Please check that your email address is correct when completing the online registration form. A registration confirmation will be emailed to you immediately after you successfully submit your online registration form. In addition, you will receive the workshop Zoom link by email one day prior to the workshop.)

Stipend Amount: $100 (Note: This stipend is only available to IGA members that are residents of Illinois. To become a member of the IGA, simply fill out our membership form. There is no cost to become a member.)

PD Hours: 5.25 (Note: PD hours, formerly referred to as CPDUs, are only available to IGA members that teach in Illinois, provide a valid Illinois Educator Identification Number – IEIN, and participate in the entire workshop. To become a member of the IGA, simply fill out our membership form. There is no cost to become a member.)

Questions: Please email the Illinois Geographic Alliance, LLC at iga@illinoisstate.edu.