Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024

This systematic review synthesizes research on teaching geography with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) published between 2010 and 2024. Based on an analysis of 257 papers spanning all educational levels and diverse national contexts, six key themes emerged: (1) integration of GIS in geography...

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Main Author: Olga V. Bondarenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academy of Cognitive and Natural Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:Science Education Quarterly
Subjects:
Online Access:http://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/seq/article/view/903
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author Olga V. Bondarenko
author_facet Olga V. Bondarenko
author_sort Olga V. Bondarenko
collection DOAJ
description This systematic review synthesizes research on teaching geography with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) published between 2010 and 2024. Based on an analysis of 257 papers spanning all educational levels and diverse national contexts, six key themes emerged: (1) integration of GIS in geography curricula; (2) teacher training and professional development; (3) impact on student learning; (4) pedagogical approaches and strategies; (5) challenges and barriers to implementation; and (6) advances in GIS technologies. The literature provides robust evidence that learning with GIS when implemented with appropriate pedagogical framing, supports the development of students' geographic knowledge, spatial thinking abilities, inquiry skills, and problem-solving capabilities. However, the extent and depth of GIS integration in classrooms remain uneven due in large part to pervasive issues related to teacher preparation, technical support, and curricular positioning. The proliferation of web-based platforms, open-source software, and mobile applications in recent years has dramatically expanded access to GIS and opened up new possibilities for student-centred, data-driven, inquiry-oriented learning. Newer research also critically examines issues of representation, power, and ethics inherent in GIS-based knowledge production and considers how GIS can be leveraged to support education for sustainable development. Realizing the full potential of GIS in geography education will require sustained efforts to build teacher capacity, develop exemplary curricular materials and assessments, and critically engage with the affordances and constraints of emerging geospatial tools and datasets.
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spelling doaj-art-27b2c30418dc4e6e97453b6a25daf0722025-08-20T03:25:16ZengAcademy of Cognitive and Natural SciencesScience Education Quarterly3065-72102025-01-012110.55056/seq.903Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024Olga V. Bondarenko0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2356-2674Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University This systematic review synthesizes research on teaching geography with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) published between 2010 and 2024. Based on an analysis of 257 papers spanning all educational levels and diverse national contexts, six key themes emerged: (1) integration of GIS in geography curricula; (2) teacher training and professional development; (3) impact on student learning; (4) pedagogical approaches and strategies; (5) challenges and barriers to implementation; and (6) advances in GIS technologies. The literature provides robust evidence that learning with GIS when implemented with appropriate pedagogical framing, supports the development of students' geographic knowledge, spatial thinking abilities, inquiry skills, and problem-solving capabilities. However, the extent and depth of GIS integration in classrooms remain uneven due in large part to pervasive issues related to teacher preparation, technical support, and curricular positioning. The proliferation of web-based platforms, open-source software, and mobile applications in recent years has dramatically expanded access to GIS and opened up new possibilities for student-centred, data-driven, inquiry-oriented learning. Newer research also critically examines issues of representation, power, and ethics inherent in GIS-based knowledge production and considers how GIS can be leveraged to support education for sustainable development. Realizing the full potential of GIS in geography education will require sustained efforts to build teacher capacity, develop exemplary curricular materials and assessments, and critically engage with the affordances and constraints of emerging geospatial tools and datasets. http://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/seq/article/view/903geographic information systems (GIS)geography educationspatial thinkingteacher trainingeducational technologysystematic review
spellingShingle Olga V. Bondarenko
Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
Science Education Quarterly
geographic information systems (GIS)
geography education
spatial thinking
teacher training
educational technology
systematic review
title Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
title_full Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
title_fullStr Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
title_full_unstemmed Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
title_short Teaching geography with GIS: a systematic review, 2010-2024
title_sort teaching geography with gis a systematic review 2010 2024
topic geographic information systems (GIS)
geography education
spatial thinking
teacher training
educational technology
systematic review
url http://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/seq/article/view/903
work_keys_str_mv AT olgavbondarenko teachinggeographywithgisasystematicreview20102024