Vol. 14 No. 2 (2023):
Research Article

Web GIS to Learn Geopolitics in Secondary Education: A case study from Spain

PDF
Miguel-Ángel Puertas-Aguilar
International School of Doctorate Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (EIDUNED), Spain
Ana E. García Sipols
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Spain
María-Luisa de Lázaro-Torres
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spain
15-
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.m.pue.14.2.015.031
Categories

Published 2023-05-26

Keywords

  • secondary education,
  • geography,
  • competencies,
  • history,
  • Web GIS,
  • education assessment
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Puertas-Aguilar, Miguel-Ángel, Ana E. García Sipols, and María-Luisa de Lázaro-Torres. 2023. “Web GIS to Learn Geopolitics in Secondary Education: A Case Study from Spain”. European Journal of Geography 14 (2):15-31. https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.m.pue.14.2.015.031.

Copyright (c) 2023 Miguel-Ángel Puertas-Aguilar, Ana E. García Sipols, María-Luisa de Lázaro-Torres

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Received 2023-03-26
Accepted 2023-05-26
Published 2023-05-26

Abstract

Teachers’ increasing use of cloud-based Geographical Information Systems (Web GIS) in an interactive way in Spanish secondary schools highlights the importance of researching the effectiveness of this new approach. This study employs action research qualitative methods, through direct teacher observation, and quantitative methods to analyze student grades following first use of Web GIS. Specifically, the research involved: a) Design: organizing a geopolitics’ lesson plan, with seven tasks, for a sample comprising 92 students at K10 level (15-16 years old); b) Comparison: contrasting the results of a traditional written exam following the use of two technologies (namely, Web GIS and a conventional PowerPoint presentation); c) Data collection: analyzing quantitative data via a descriptive and inference study of grades (involving a geopolitics exam; geography and history final term; Grade Point Average -GPA-; and the average grade of the entire term’s 10 curriculum subjects); d) Direct observation: assessing class interactions in which students are assisted with both technology (Web GIS or PowerPoint) and the clarification of concepts. The results demonstrate that Web GIS is a useful learning tool in geopolitics, with students getting better grades and no significant gender differences. Direct observation confirms how Web GIS technologies engage students; assist ‘ubiquitous learning’ from any place and at any time; improve their understanding of data analysis and spatial concepts; and enhanced digital competencies.

Highlights:
-Web GIS engage students in learning geopolitics and enable them to obtain better grades.
-Students improve their understanding of spatial concepts using Web GIS.

PDF

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. Baker, T. R., Battersby, S., Bednarz, S. W., Bodzin, A. M., Kolvoord, B., Moore, S., Sinton, D., & Uttal, D. (2015). A research agenda for geospatial technologies and learning. Journal of Geography, 114(3), 118-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2014.950684
  2. Bearman, N., Jones, N., André, I., Cachinho, H. A., & DeMers, M. (2016). The future role of GIS education in creating critical spatial thinkers. Journal of Geography in Higher education, 40(3), 394-408. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2016.1144729
  3. Bednarz, S. & Van der Schee, J. (2006). Europe and the United States: the implementation of geographic information systems in secondary edu-cation in two contexts. Journal of Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 15(2), 191-205. https://doi.org/10.1080/14759390600769573
  4. Bondarenko, O. V., Pakhomova, O. V., & Zaselskiy, V. I. (2019). The use of cloud technologies when studying geography by higher school stu-dents. arXiv preprint arXiv:1909.04377. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1909.04377
  5. Bruggeman, B., Tondeur, J., Struyven, K., Pynoo, B., Garone, A., & Vanslambrouck, S. (2021). Experts speaking: Crucial teacher attributes for implementing blended learning in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 48, 100772. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2020.100772
  6. Buzo-Sánchez, I.J, Mínguez, C. & De Lázaro-Torres, M.L. (2022). Expert perspectives on GIS use in Spanish geographic education. International Journal of Digital Earth, 15(1), 1205-1219. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2022.2096131
  7. Caquard, S., & Dimitrovas, S. (2017). Story Maps & Co. The state of the art of online narrative cartography. Mappemonde. Revue trimestrielle sur l’image géographique et les formes du territoire, 121. http://dx.doi.org/10.4000/mappemonde.3386
  8. Curtis, M. D. (2019). Professional technologies in schools: The role of pedagogical knowledge in teaching with geospatial technologies. Journal of Geography, 118(3), 130-142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2018.1544267
  9. DigComp. (2016). A Framework for Developing and Understanding Digital Competence in Europe. https://bit.ly/1U8dwv0
  10. Dziuban, C., Graham, C. R., Moskal, P. D., Norberg, A., & Sicilia, N. (2018). Blended learning: The new normal and emerging technologies. Interna-tional Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 15(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-017-0087-5
  11. EU. (2028). Council of the EU Recommendations of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning (Text with EEA relevance). (2018/C 189/01). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0604(01)&from=SV
  12. Fargher, M. (2018). WebGIS for geography education: Towards a GeoCapabilities approach. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 7(3), 111. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijgi7030111
  13. Fargher, M. (2019). The Role of Geography and Geospatial technologies in taking on the world. In De Miguel, R., Donert, K., & Koutsopoulos, K. (eds) Geospatial Technologies in Geography Education (pp. 175–182) Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17783-6_10
  14. Fekete, J., Van Wijk, J. J., Stasko, J. T., & North, C. (2008). The value of information visualization. In Information visualization (pp. 1-18) Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70956-5_1
  15. Giannakou, O., & Klonari, A.I. (2019). Digital Storytelling in Education Using WebGIS. European Journal of Geography, 10(3), 154-172. https://bit.ly/3HOc8xh
  16. Höhnle, S., Fögele, J., Mehren, R., & Schubert, J.C. (2016). GIS Teacher Training: Empirically-Based Indicators of Effectiveness. Journal of Geogra-phy, 115(1), 12-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2015.1016546
  17. Jackson, C. M., & Kibetu, D. K. (2019). Emerging technologies in teaching, research, and learning: GIS technology and methods in education. In Makewa, L. N., Ngussa, B. M., & Kuboja, J. M. (Eds.). Technology-supported teaching and research methods for educators (pp. 201-217) IGI Global. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-5915-3.ch011
  18. Johnson R.T. & Johnson D.W. (1986). Cooperative learning in the science classroom. Science and children, 24(2), 31-32. https://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Cooperative%20education%20D&R%20Johnson.pdf
  19. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1999). Making cooperative learning work. Theory into practice, 38(2), 67-73. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849909543834
  20. Kerski, J. J., Demirci, A., & Milson, A. J. (2013). The global landscape of GIS in secondary education. Journal of Geography, 112(6), 232-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2013.801506
  21. Kim, M., & Bednarz, R. (2013). Development of critical spatial thinking through GIS learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 37, 350–366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2013.769091
  22. Klingman, L. L. (2021). Let's Get Digital! Using ESRIs ArcGIS StoryMaps as an Archaeological Education Tool [Ph.D. Dissertation, State University of New York at Binghamton] https://bit.ly/3f2RsFE
  23. Leininger-Frézal, C., & Sprenger, S. (2022). Virtual Field Trips in Binational Collaborative Teacher Training: Opportunities and Challenges in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 14(19), 12933. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su141912933
  24. Leininger-Frézal, C., Sprenger, S., de Lázaro-Torres, M.L., Rodríguez Domenech, M.A., Heidari, N., Pigaki, M., Naudet, C., Lecomte,1 A., Gallardo, M. (2023). Global Change Challenge in the Higher Education Curriculum on the approach of Blended Learning. European Journal of Geog-raphy, 14 (2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.c.lei.14.2.001.014
  25. Ma, Q., Duan, Y. & Yao, Z. (2023). Meta-analysis of the impact of geospatial technologies on learning outcomes. Education and Information Tech-nologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11712-w
  26. Martínez-Hernández, C., Stoffelen, A. & Piskorski, R. (2022). Obtaining geographical competences through online cartography of familiar and unfamiliar urban heritage: lessons from student workshops, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2022.2155935
  27. Milson, A. J. (2011). SIG en la nube: WebSIG para la enseñanza de la geografía. Didáctica Geográfica, 12, 111-124. https://didacticageografica.age-geografia.es/index.php/didacticageografica/article/view/61
  28. Mínguez, C. (2021). Teaching tourism: urban routes design using GIS Story Map. Investigaciones Geográficas, 75, 25-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.14198/INGEO2020.M
  29. Mínguez, C., Martínez-Hernández, C., & Yubero, C. (2021). Higher education and the sustainable tourism pedagogy: Are tourism students ready to lead change in the post pandemic era? Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 29, 100329. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2021.100329
  30. Mitchell, J. T., Roy, G., Fritch, S., & Wood, B. (2018). GIS professional development for teachers: Lessons learned from high-needs schools. Car-tography and Geographic Information Science, 45(4), 292-304. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2017.1421482
  31. Mukherjee, F. (2019). Exploring cultural geography field course using story maps. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 43(2), 201-223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2019.1597031
  32. Müller, C., & Mildenberger, T. (2021). Facilitating Flexible Learning by Replacing Classroom Time with an Online Learning Environment: A System-atic Review of Blended Learning in Higher Education. Educational Research Review, 34, 100394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394
  33. National Research Council (2006). Learning to think spatially: GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum. National Academies Press.
  34. Parellada, C. A. (2017). Los mapas históricos como instrumentos para la enseñanza de la historia. Revista Tempo e Argumento, 9(21), 312-337. http://dx.doi.org/10.5965/2175180309212017312
  35. Pons, J.J., Armendariz, J., & Andreu, J. (2019). El story-map como herramienta didáctica y divulgativa en el ámbito de la Arqueología. In C. Ortega, M. ª Á. López-González, & P. Amor, (eds.): X Jornadas de Investigación en Innovación Docente: innovación educativa en la era digital (pp. 311-316). UNED. http://arcg.is/0frOXW
  36. Puertas-Aguilar, M.-Á., Álvarez-Otero, J., & de Lázaro-Torres, M.-L. (2021). The Challenge of Teacher Training in the 2030 Agenda Framework Using Geotechnologies. Education Sciences, 11(8), 381. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080381
  37. Puertas-Aguilar, M.A., Conway, B., De Lázaro-Torres, M.L., De Miguel González, R., Donert, K., Linder-Fally, M., Parkinson, A., Prodan, D., Wilson, S., & Zwartjes, L. (2022). A teaching model to raise awareness of sustainability using geoinformation. Espacio, Tiempo y Forma. Serie VI. Ge-ografía, 15. https://doi.org/10.5944/etfvi.15.2022.33687
  38. Rizou, O., Klonari, A., & Kavroudakis, D. (2022). Investigating the Impact and Effectiveness of an ICT-based Teaching Scenario on Secondary School Students’ Geospatial and Statistical Literacy: A Case Study from Greece. European Journal of Geography, 13(3), 050–069. https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.o.riz.13.3.050.069
  39. Santos, B., Gonçalves, J., Martins, A.M., Pérez-Cano, M.T., Mosquera-Adell, E., Dimelli, D., Lagarias, A., & Almeida, P.G. (2021). GIS in Architectural Teaching and Research: Planning and Heritage. Education Sciences, 11, 307. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060307
  40. Schulze, U. (2021). “GIS works!”—But why, how, and for whom? Findings from a systematic review. Transactions in GIS, 25(2), 768-804. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/tgis.12704 Simon, M. & Budke, A. (2023). Students’ comparison competencies in geography: results from an explorative assessment study, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2023.2174960
  41. Strachan, C., & Mitchell, J. (2014). Teachers’ perceptions of Esri Story Maps as effective teaching tools. Review of International Geographical Education Online, 4(3), 195-220. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/rigeo/issue/40895/493771
  42. Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S., & Punie, Y. (2022). DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens - With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, Publications Office of the European Union. http://dx.doi.org/10.2760/490274
  43. Wilson, B., Wilson, N., & Sierra, M. (2021). Using GIS to Advance Social Economics Research: Geocoding, Aggregation, and Spatial Thinking. Fo-rum for Social Economics, 50(4), 480-504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07360932.2018.1509798
  44. Zwartjes, L., & De Lázaro, M.L. (2019). Geospatial Thinking Learning Lines in Secondary Education: The GI Learner Project. In de Miguel González, R., Donert, K., Koutsopoulos, K. (eds) Geospatial Technologies in Geography Education. (pp. 41-61). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17783-6_3