title: Modern Technologies in Geography Education - Mobile and Virtual Approaches for Extracurricular Environments
title: Moderne Technik in der Geographischen Bildung - Mobile und Digitale Ansätze für Außerschulische Lernorte
titleType: AlternativeTitle
Creators: name: Bengel, Phillip T.
Publisher: name: Philipps-Universität Marburg
Year: 2023
Subjects: Geography &amp; travel
Geografie, Reisen
technologische Kompe
mobile learning
multi-perspective learning
mobiles Lernen
virtuelles Lernen
außerschulische Lernumgebungen
multiperspektivisches Lernen
technological literacy
geog
virtual learning
extracurricular environments
digtial game-based learning
digitales spielbasiertes Lernen

description: This dissertation is based on three studies investigating innovative didactic approaches based on modern technologies in extracurricular geography teaching. Besides the conception and evaluation of contemporary educational approaches, the central motive is to contribute to promoting a technologically literate society. 
In the first study, the Modern Technology Attitude Index (MTAI) was developed and validated based on a quantitative data set using factor analysis to measure the attitudes of geography teachers toward modern technology in the educational context. The results show that modern technology’s perceived benefits and easements are strongly correlated with respondents' subject-specific interest, while gender differences were found in affective attitudes. In the following studies, the instrument was applied with other quantitative measurement tools to adolescent students of Hessian Gymnasiums (high schools) to investigate the effects of technology-supported educational approaches for school field trips. A central role played a multi-perspective approach, together with mobile digital game-based learning (mDGBL), for teaching environmental and technology-related content in a forest ecosystem. The multi-perspective approach aims to reduce the complexity of learning objects in geography education by changing spatial and thematic perspectives. The integration of digital game-based learning supports this process through the fictional plot of a game, which is close to reality but simultaneously limited in complexity by its structural and spatial boundaries. The first intervention led to a significant and long-term improvement in students' subject-specific knowledge compared to a control group. Knowledge acquisition was unaffected by content-related attitudes, prior knowledge, gender, and age of the participants. The following study investigated the potential of virtual field trips in combination with the above approaches. Here, a comparison showed that virtual game-based formats could impart knowledge just as effective as comparable field trips conducted in actual physical settings. Furthermore, the results confirmed the assumption from the previous two studies that certain technophobic attitudinal characteristics are more pronounced in female participants than in males. However, participation in the game-based virtual excursion seemed to eliminate this difference and reduce aversive attitudes toward modern technologies as well as promote a positive one in both genders. 
Overall, the studies highlight the positive impact of technology-enhanced approaches on acquiring subject knowledge and cognitive and behavioral attitudes. At the same time, they reveal gender differences in affective attitudes and suggest approaches to address them. In conclusion, the findings provide valuable insights into digital and technology-enhanced learning possibilities and their potential for innovative extracurricular education. They could thus contribute to the further development of geography education regarding human-technology-environment systems and thus successfully contribute to a more technologically literate society.