As geotecnologias e o ensino de cartografia nas escolas: potencialidades e restrições

Abstract

Geotechnology has many different software and application formats, ranging from digital mapping, webcartography, to geoprocessing and remote sensing. However, not all of these tools are within the reach of elementary schools or were designed for the teaching of cartography and geography content. In spite of this, today there are many possibilities of using geotechnologies in the teaching-learning of cartography and, more comprehensively, of the geography itself. But we must separate wheat from the chaff in this universe of software and applications in order to unravel the possibilities and constraints they present. It is also necessary to consider the school reality, the training and qualification of teachers, and the level of accessibility of students to these technologies. Smartphones, the current generation of mobile phones handsets with access to the Internet, are particularly timely tools to overcome some of these barriers. These limitations and perspectives of work are discussed in this article, having as main example Google Earth.