Integrating ArcGIS Online and digital story mapping for active learning in systematic geography courses

ABSTRACT

Amid the shift to virtual teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, educators across disciplines were faced with developing new teaching strategies for active learning and significant learning experiences. This paper discusses findings from a case study of integrating ArcGIS Online and StoryMaps for assignments and semester projects in systematic geography courses – health, population, and urban geography. The study assesses the process of incorporating the use of this technology into these upper-division undergraduate courses, with a mix of both geography and non-geography majors, and student perspectives on their learning of and engagement with this technology. With broader applications to different course, discipline, and education contexts, findings suggest increased student engagement, enhanced understanding of course topics and their practical applications, and an appreciation for the opportunity to learn within and work with geospatial technology.

KEYWORDS:

• ArcGIS Online
• geovisual narratives
• StoryMaps
• active learning
• systematic geography

Acknowledgement

Thank you to the anonymous reviewers and editors for their suggestions throughout the review process, which helped to greatly strengthen this paper. Thank you also to our students and their enthusiastic engagement in our courses.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).