Integrating GPS Data from Strava Combined with Field Experience to Develop Contour Map Reading Skills and Spatial Thinking Competence for students in Geography Teacher Education programs

Education

In the context that the integration of digital technologies in geography education is becoming an inevitable trend, the development of effective approaches to enhance contour map interpretation and spatial thinking competence is an urgent requirement. This research focuses on the integration of Strava-derived GPS data with field-based experiential learning to optimize the process of teaching and learning topographic map skills for students in Geography Teacher Education programs. By utilizing Strava-derived geospatial data to capture trajectory, elevation, and movement patterns, combined with real-world field experience, the study develops a learning framework based on trajectory data, topographic maps, and digital elevation models. The results of the experiment show that this approach enables learners to accurately interpret terrain features, analyze slope characteristics, and effectively connect map representations with real-world spatial experience. The proposed approach is expected to serve as an innovative pedagogical model, contributing to improving the quality of geography education and fostering higher-order spatial competencies in the context of digital transformation.

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