Geographic Knowledge and Place Location Knowledge (PLK) Among Compulsory Secondary Education Students: An Example of an Educational Intervention and Its Results

This study examines the impact of a didactic intervention on improving geographic knowledge and place location knowledge (PLK) among third-year compulsory secondary education students aged from 12 to 13 in the Balearic Islands (Spain). Through a quasi-experimental design involving pilot and control centers, the research assesses gains in spatial competence using a validated questionnaire and an online mapping tool. Results reveal significant improvements in both content knowledge and PLK, particularly among students who engaged with map-based active learning strategies. The findings underscore the effectiveness of using maps to foster spatial reasoning and geographic literacy in secondary education.