Integrating Web-GIS and Inquiry Learning to Enhance Spatial Thinking in Geography Learning

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of integrating Web-GIS with Inquiry Learning on secondary school students’ spatial thinking skills. A 2×2 factorial experimental design was employed with 116 eleventh-grade students from SMA Negeri 13 Bandar Lampung, divided into four treatment groups: direct instruction with printed maps, direct instruction with Web-GIS, inquiry learning with printed maps, and inquiry learning with Web-GIS. The Spatial Thinking Ability Test (STAT), a widely validated international instrument, was used to measure outcomes. Data were analysed using two-way ANOVA. The findings indicate that the learning media had a significant effect, with Web-GIS outperforming printed maps, whereas learning strategies alone did not. Importantly, a highly significant interaction between media and strategy was found, demonstrating that inquiry learning supported by Web-GIS produced the greatest improvement in spatial thinking skills. These results confirm the pedagogical potential of Web-GIS and underscore the importance of aligning technological tools with active learning approaches. The study offers theoretical implications for integrating geospatial technologies into geography education and practical insights for enhancing spatial literacy in secondary schools.