Adopting and using geospatial technologies for teaching geography in Latin American higher education

Jul 6, 2026

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The article reports findings from a regional study identifying factors that predict Latin American faculty adoption and use of geospatial technologies (GST) for teaching geography. An online survey collected responses from 337 participants across 17 countries, using items adapted from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology covering desktop GIS, web-based GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and digital globes. Structural equation modeling shows pedagogical benefit perceptions, ease of mastery, influential opinions, willingness to use, and adequate institutional conditions increase motivation and actual classroom use. Additional testing reveals a field-based divide: human geography faculty report less frequent GST use than physical geography and geospatial specialists.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

Abstract

Introduction

Role of geospatial technologies in geographic learning

Barriers and reported benefits of GST adoption

Need for regional perspectives in Latin America

Journal of Geography in Higher Education ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: [https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cjgh20](https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cjgh20) Adopting and using geospatial technologies for teaching geography in Latin American higher education Alejandro Cascante-Campos To cite this article: Alejandro Cascante-Campos (2022): Adopting and using geospatial technologies for teaching geography in Latin American higher education, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, DOI: 10. 1080/03098265 .2022.2122028 To link to this article: [https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2022.2122028](https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2022.2122028) Published online: 12 Sep 2022. | Submit your article to this journal | | --- | | Article views: 68 | | View related articles | | View Crossmark data | Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at [https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=cjgh20](https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=cjgh20) Adopting and using geospatial technologies for teaching geography in Latin American higher education Alejandro Cascante-Campos School of Geography, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica ABSTRACT The article presents the results of a regional study analysing the factors that predict Latin American faculty adoption and use of geospatial technologies (GST) for teaching geography. The research involved an online survey with 337 participants from 17 countries, who answered a set of items adapted from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology on five GST – desktop GIS, webbased GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and digital globes. The data was analysed using a structural equation modelling. The results confirmed that faculty who identified pedagogical benefits of using GST considered technologies as easy to master, and valued the opinion of people influential to them about using technologies were more likely to be motivated to use GST for teaching. In addition, faculty willing to use the GST and report adequate institutional conditions were more likely to be using the technologies for teaching. Additional statistical testing found that human geography faculty expressed an infrequent use of these technologies compared to their physical geography and geospatial technologies colleagues, who did report a more consistent use of GST. These findings suggest a divide among Latin American faculty regarding the motivation and institutional conditions to implement technologies, based on their field of expertise. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 3 September 2021 Accepted 5 May 2022 KEYWORDS Geospatial technologies; geography education; Latin America; higher education; technology adoption Introduction Geospatial technologies (GST)“facilitate visualization, measurement, mapping, wayfinding, or spatial analysis of features both concrete and conceptual on Earth’s surface and subsurface”(Metoyer et al., 2015, p. 24) and constitute a key component of geographic learning, transforming people’s thinking by collecting, analysing, and visualizing geospatial data (Baker et al., 2015; Harte, 2017). The geospatial knowledge acquired from GST has been fundamental for developing areas such as education, technology, health, transportation, communication, among others (Mirzoev et al., 2015; United States Department of Labor, 2016) . Despite different perspectives exist about the GST knowledge and skills that should be acquired by students (Arrowsmith et al., 2011; Solem et al., 2008), it is known that implementation of GST in education improves students’ geography learning (Jo et al., CONTACT Alejandro Cascante-Campos [josealejandro.cascante@ucr.ac.cr](josealejandro.cascante@ucr.ac.cr) School of Geography, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group 2 J. A. CASCANTE-CAMPOS 2016; Kamruzzaman, 2014; Møller-Madsen & Nielsen, 2013; Walshe, 2017) and

FAQs

What geospatial technologies are examined in the study?

The study covers desktop GIS, web-based GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and digital globes used for teaching geography.

How does the study analyze faculty adoption and use?

It uses an online survey with 337 participants and applies structural equation modeling to the survey results.

Which factors increase faculty motivation and likelihood of using GST for teaching?

Faculty who see pedagogical benefits, believe technologies are easy to master, value influential peers’ opinions, are willing to use GST, and report adequate institutional conditions are more likely to use GST.

Jul 6, 2026

Upload by Jiven