Miguel González Rafael

Dr. Miguel González Rafael

Institute of Research into Environmental Sciences of Aragón (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

11Years (2016-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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23 November 2020 in Sustainability
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MLMARIA SEBASTIÁN LÓPEZ
MARIA SEBASTIÁN LÓPEZ
MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael
Outdoor learning has, for a long time, been an important instructional resource in school education, usually embedded in the natural sciences and social sciences curricula. Teaching geography, geology, or biology beyond the traditional classroom allows students to interact with physical and social environments for meaningful learning. Mobile devices that are based on geospatial technologies have provided more accurate data, but also a combined instructional design with other WebGIS, map viewers, or geographic information system (GIS) layers, which are useful to foster education for sustainable development. This paper analyzes the applications of mobile learning based on citizen science and volunteer geographic information, but also on the growing awareness that citizens and educators need a set of digital competencies to enhance and innovate lifelong learning and active citizenship. The empirical research aims to measure teacher–training experience, highlighting the potential of mobile devices and their applications in environmental education. Data collected from the research and results prove the positive impact of mobile learning in environmental education. Finally, a discussion about mobile learning and education for sustainable development is provided.
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21 February 2020 in Journal of Geography
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MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael
MTMaria Luisa De Lázaro Torres
Maria Luisa De Lázaro Torres
The Digital Atlas for Schools is an innovative WebGIS development contributing to the use of geospatial information in schools. Based on a story map tool, it creates a geography curriculum constructed on ArcGIS Online. This article discusses the implications of implementing geospatial technologies so that learners can acquire spatial thinking and geographical knowledge, but also develop responsible and active spatial citizenship. Based on the learning progression approach, it presents results showing the effectiveness of this instructional resource, both for secondary school students and for geography teachers in training. The article concludes with a discussion on how results confirm the need for geospatial technologies to be better incorporated into the geography curriculum at secondary schools.
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2 February 2024 in Dialogues in Human Geography
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Journal Article
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MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael

29 March 2022 in Sustainability
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Journal Article
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MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael
MLMARIA SEBASTIÁN LÓPEZ
MARIA SEBASTIÁN LÓPEZ
Because of its interdisciplinary approach as a social science directly related to the natural sciences, geography is the academic discipline and school subject that equips students well with knowledge, skills, and values related to education on sustainable development goals. This study is part of the results of MyGEO, a project funded by the European Commission, and it is based on a collaborative mapping of streets named after women in a medium-sized city (Zaragoza, Spain), in connection with the international initiative GeoChicas (GeoGirls) on OpenStreetMap. Its main objective is to obtain evidence to emphasize, through public and digital space, gender equality and the empowerment of women in teacher education by means of their achievements. The learning methodology consists of (i) standardization and correction of alphanumeric information referring to street names contained in the OpenStreetMap spatial database that identify gender and (ii) linking and creating thematic information through Wikipedia editing. The results show that Zaragoza is at the top of the ranking of Spanish and Latin American cities mapped to date in the “Women’s Streets” viewer, with 18% of the streets named after women, compared to the average 15% in the rest of the 30 cities involved in GeoChicas. The direct participation of trainee primary and secondary schoolteachers in this project makes it possible to consolidate a narrative as well as a specific instructional design on education for sustainable development, particularly on SDG number 5 (gender balance) and SDG number 11 (sustainable cities and communities).

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MARÍA-LUISA DE LÁZARO-TORRESMARÍA-LUISA DE LÁZARO-TORRES
MARÍA-LUISA DE LÁZARO-TORRES
MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael
FYFrancisco Jose Morales Yago
Francisco Jose Morales Yago
The value of landscape, as part of collective heritage, can be acquired by geographic information systems (GIS) due to the multilayer approach of the spatial configuration. Proficiency in geospatial technologies to collect, process, analyze, interpret, visualize, and communicate geographic information is being increased by undergraduate and graduate students but, in particular, by those who are training to become geography teachers at the secondary education level. Some teaching experiences, using personalized learning, distance learning methodology, and GIS, focused on education aims to integrate students and enhance their understanding of the landscape are shown. Opportunities offered by WebGIS will be described, through quantitative tools and techniques that will allow this modality of learning and improve its effectiveness. Results of this research show that students, through geospatial technologies, learn the landscape as a diversity of elements, but also the complexity of physical and human factors involved. Several conclusions will be highlighted: (i) the contribution of geospatial training to education on the landscape and for sustainable development; (ii) spatial analysis as a means of skills acquisition regarding measures for landscape conservation; and (iii) expanding and applying acquired knowledge to other geographic spaces.
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25 August 2020 in International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education
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Journal Article
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MRMiguel González Rafael
Miguel González Rafael
The Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union has stated along their history different documents that serve as a reference on how to carry out the teaching and learning of geography at schools, called the International Charters on Geographical Education. The preliminary documents to the first Charter were founded on the concept of international understanding to promote international collaboration on geography education. The latest Charter has been approved in 2016, which was proclaimed as the International Year of Global Understanding, in the 33rd International Geographical Union Congress. In each of these documents, a main subject is underlined that places special emphasis on teaching and learning geography as a school discipline, reflecting not only the evolution of educational thought but also the social and political contexts in which it falls. Besides, each Charter underlies a manifestation, more or less implicitly, of international educational aims due to the significance of geography and its values in understanding and acting in the world from a social and spatial perspective.
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