Cultivating preservice geography teachers’ awareness of geography using Story Maps

The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential of Story Maps to improve the awareness of geography among preservice geography teachers (PGTs). To conduct the research, this study planned a Story Maps-based full-semester lesson plan for 30 beginning PGTs. The data were collected via participants’ reflective journals and were analyzed using the seven steps of phenomenographic analysis. Participating PGTs deepened their awareness of geography as they created their Story Maps, which led to improved awareness of geography education. Many PGTs (Type A) developed a highly procedural and scientific understanding of geography concepts, theories, and teaching and learning, while some other PGTs (Type B) showed comparatively less prominent improvements in their awareness of geography. In addition, one PGT (Type C) showed little improvement in awareness of geography. These results suggest potential implications for PGT education based on geospatial technologies and spatial narratives.