“Google Maps Engine makes it easy for you to create beautiful maps, share them with others, and reach your audience no matter where they are. It’s built on the same platform that provides Google services to millions of people worldwide, so your users have a consistent and familiar experience wherever they are.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

Google has become more and more involved with geospatial technologies and platforms.  This new Maps Engine (still in beta testing) appears to be Google entry into the world of GIS.  Maps Engine is not nearly as robust as ArcGIS Online or even Google Earth and it has many limitations (can’t upload a CSV file with more than 100 data points, can’t use KML or shapefiles, no archive of ready-made layers, etc). 

It’s redeeming value lies in the simplicity of the platform; if all you want to do is draw your own points, lines and polygons on top of a map and be able to get started within 30 seconds, then this is worth exploring.  Those features are incredibly intuitive and user-friendly and I foresee various educational possibilities using this in the classroom, but am still ‘test-driving’ the platform.

Tags:  google, GIS, geospatial, edtech, K12.

See on accounts.google.com

Google Maps Engine