The Effect of Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Teaching Geography on Developing Students' Map Reading and Interpretation Skills

Background/purpose. This study aimed to examine the effect of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in teaching geography on developing students' map-reading and interpretation skills.

Materials/methods. The study employed a quasi-experimental design based on two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The study population consisted of all eighth-grade students at Bushra Secondary Comprehensive School for Boys, affiliated with the Directorate of Education in Qasabat Irbid District, during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. The study sample was purposefully selected from the population, and the two groups were randomly assigned. The experimental group consisted of 20 students who were taught using GIS-based instruction. The researchers developed a test to measure students' map reading and interpretation skills, which included the following components: map reading, map analysis, map interpretation, and concluding the map.

Results. The results showed that using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in geography teaching significantly improved students' map reading and interpretation skills. The experimental group achieved a higher mean score on the post-test compared to the control group. The teaching strategy variable explained a large proportion of the variance in post-test scores on the map reading and comprehension test.

Conclusion. The study explores the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) in teaching geography as an educational content. GIS is a digital tool that engages students and enhances their interaction with the subject. The study found that the experimental group performed better in map reading and comprehension skills due to the interactive features provided by GIS. This enhances their ability to recognize spatial relationships, analyze geographical data, and interpret phenomena. The study emphasizes the importance of GIS in developing critical and analytical thinking skills.

Keywords: Geographic information systems (GIS), map reading and interpretation skills, geography

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