Implementation and evaluation of geography education using QGIS for Japanese high school students

Abstract. In recent years, demand for geography education using GIS has been growing among junior and senior high school teachers. QGIS has attracted attention because it is freely available and enables advanced spatial visualization and analysis. However, the implementation of QGIS in education for junior and senior high school students remains limited compared with GIS education in universities. In this study, we conducted educational events for junior and senior high school students to examine three aspects: students' ability to operate QGIS, their understanding of spatial data concepts and processing, and their interpretation of geographical features across multiple layers. The QGIS-based exercises were conducted as part of one-day or half-day educational programs introducing various GIS applications. The events were held eight times between 2018 and 2025. During the QGIS-based exercises, we focused on teaching basic GIS operations and spatial thinking by processing data related to the Kyodo River alluvial fan in Yamanashi Prefecture, Central Japan. At the end of the exercises, we asked the students to submit their answers to the assignments and complete a questionnaire.
The results indicate that geography education using QGIS is feasible for junior and senior high school students. While most students understood basic GIS operations and spatial data concepts, many, particularly younger students, struggled to interpret their maps from a spatial thinking perspective. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening existing map-reading education in schools. In addition, it is important to enhance students' basic computer skills and improve the exercise design by incorporating a self-directed learning approach.