SOCIAL CARTOGRAPHY AND PRODUCTION OF MIND MAPS BY STUDENTS IN THE TEACHING OF POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY IN HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

This didactic intervention employs Social Cartography (SC) as a pedagogical tool for cartographic literacy and critical formation among high school students. Historically, mapmaking has played a central role in human societies by helping to define and understand territories. In the educational context, it is essential for students to develop the ability to interpret and create maps throughout their academic journey. This study applies SC as an active methodology to engage students in collective participation and knowledge construction, addressing the need to adapt teaching to the new realities experienced by learners. SC does not aim to replace traditional cartography but serves as a complementary approach that fosters critical thinking about the power relations involved in the production and reproduction of geographical spaces. Through collaborative mapping, students reflect on their own spatial experiences, thereby enhancing their understanding of geographic concepts. The intervention was conducted with third-year high school students and focused on the third-term curriculum content. It was observed that SC stimulates critical development and advances students’ cartographic literacy, proving to be a promising active methodology for the teaching-learning process in geography, with potential for interdisciplinary application of this tool.