Participation, Proficiency, and Spatial Learning Attitudes: High School Students’ Geospatial Inquiry Projects in a GIS Competition

This mixed-methods study investigated high school students’ outcomes after creating StoryMaps for a GIS competition, including their proficiency in geospatial analysis and reasoning, as well as their spatial learning attitudes (SLA). Two teachers and their students at an urban STEM magnet school participated in this study. Their StoryMap projects were scored using a researcher-designed rubric. Qualitative analysis of the projects revealed distinct patterns in geospatial analysis and reasoning. Statistical analysis revealed that students who completed GIS projects reported significantly higher SLA than control students, but proficiency level on the GIS project was not associated SLA scores. Findings suggest participation in geospatial inquiry was associated with more favorable SLA, with implications for instructional scaffolding and broadening access to geospatial technologies.