School research, technology and cartographic literacy: a pedagogical practice on the municipalities of the microregion of Caxias do Sul

Abstract

The article analyzes a pedagogical experience developed with 7th-grade students in a public school in Caxias do Sul (RS), based on project-based methodology, school research, and the use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICTs). The aim of the study is to analyze how the articulation between school research, DICTs, and cartographic literacy contributes to the development of geographical thinking. The project focused on the study of the municipalities of the Caxias do Sul microregion, involving the investigation of historical, geographical, and socioeconomic data and their systematization in the form of reports, charts, thematic maps, and oral presentations. The research adopted a mixed-method approach, with qualitative and quantitative characteristics, based on participant observation, document analysis, and an evaluative questionnaire applied to 72 students. The results indicate a high perception of learning, with 91.9% of students reporting significant gains and 97.3% stating that they acquired new knowledge about the studied microregion. It is observed that the production of charts and maps favored the interpretation of spatial data and territorial understanding, while the use of DICTs contributed to collaborative practices, information organization, and the expansion of forms of representation. It is also evident the strengthening of student autonomy and the development of cognitive operations such as analysis, comparison, and spatial synthesis, associated with geographical thinking. Despite difficulties related to technological infrastructure and initial mastery of digital tools, the results demonstrate that the articulation between school research, cartographic literacy, and DICTs promotes meaningful and contextualized learning in Geography teaching.