Geographic Literacy Through the Use of Interactive Digital Maps in College Geographic Classes

Abstract

This study examines the utilization of interactive digital maps as a pedagogical tool to enhance students’ geographic literacy in college-level geography courses. It investigates the effectiveness of interactive maps in comparison to traditional map tools, particularly in relation to content comprehension and the quality of class discussions. Furthermore, the study explores the impact of interactive digital maps on students’ spatial thinking skills across various branches of geography and their application to real-life situations. It also analyzes how the integration of interactive mapping technologies influences student engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy, as well as the instructional activities designed to further develop geographic literacy.

The study employed a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. A validated survey questionnaire was used for data collection, along with focus group discussions conducted with participants’ consent. The respondents were first-year Social Studies students from the College of Teacher Education at Batangas State University–TNEU, Lemery Campus.

Findings revealed that utilizing interactive digital maps increased students’ geographic literacy in terms of learning content and class discussion. It was also assessed that  interactive digital maps in college geography classes have a significant effect on students’ spatial thinking skills. However, integrating this strategy shows no significant effect on students’ learning of geography in terms of engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy. The study concludes that the use of interactive digital maps is an effective strategy for teaching geography subjects. As a result, the researcher proposed various classroom activities that supports and enhance students’ geographic literacy.