European Journal of Geography - EJG

17/12/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! [Vol.15(4)]

▶️ A Survey to Capture the Mobility Behavior of Residents in the Republic of Cyprus
▶️ by Philip Fayad, Phaedon Kyriakidis, Constantinos Tsioutis & Dimitris Kavroudakis (Cyprus University of Technology | European University of Cyprus, Cyprus & University of the Aegean, Greece)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: In today's highly mobile world, people of all age groups constantly move between various locations, such as their homes, grocery stores, schools, and workplaces, reflecting the dynamic nature of modern society. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the profound impact of human mobility on the rapid spread of the virus within and between urban areas. The current study investigates the daily mobility behaviors of residents of the Republic of Cyprus. Through a comprehensive survey, the research documents travel patterns, commuting habits, and transportation preferences across various age groups and districts of Cyprus. With a total of 787 responses from all districts of Cyprus, data was collected through an online survey from 20/11/2023 to 20/02/2024. Data analysis includes descriptive methods and statistical modeling techniques in order to provide insights into the patterns of human mobility. Key findings include insights into travel distances, frequencies, duration and means of transportation, and timelines of mobility activities during typical workdays, as well as during weekends.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️787 individuals responded to the online questionnaire.
▶️Human mobility timelines are extracted, depicting the typical location and activity of individuals every two hours during workdays, as well as during weekends.
▶️Across all age groups, people generally tend to travel short distances up to around 10 kilometers.
▶️Car usage is the predominant mode of transportation across all categories. Walking is the second most preferred mode and bus rides rank third.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/672

14/12/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! [Vol.15(4)]

▶️ Rhythmanalysis Theory as a Dialectical Method in Urban Geography
▶️ by Emre Söylemez & Turgay Kerem Koramaz (Gebze Technical University | Istanbul Technical University, Turkey)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: The primary aim of this paper is to thoroughly define the dialectical structure of the theory of rhythmanalysis, while at the same time providing a clear and detailed framework for the method it entails. To achieve this, the paper seeks to establish a useful link between Henri Lefebvre's theory of rhythmanalysis and its practical reflections in the context of urban studies, specifically under the umbrella of urban geography. The study then proceeds to classify selected works from the literature that can serve as guides within the framework of rhythmanalysis. A comprehensive analysis of the studies that use the rhythmanalysis approach as the basic research-analysis method has been conducted, systematically categorized under five critical concepts of urban geography: Location-Movement, Construction, Envisioning-Experience, Social-Political Organization, and Sites-Practices. Following theoretical and bibliographic analysis, this comprehensive approach highlights the scope, opportunities, and potential of rhythmanalysis while addressing its critiques, consolidating its conceptual foundations, and showcasing its relevance for urban studies. Through this detailed examination, the paper aims to make a significant contribution to the understanding and application of rhythmanalysis in the field of urban geography.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Lefebvre's approach to everyday life has formed the basis of the study.
▶️Rhythmanalysis is a unifying method for quantitative and qualitative geographic data.
▶️Dialectical methods are necessary for the multi-component structure of urban studies.

https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/677

09/12/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! [Vol.15(4)]

▶️ Regional Governance Challenges in Implementing EU Smart Specialization Policy: A Critical Review
▶️ by Eristian Wibisono (University of Pécs, Hungary)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: This review paper has three main objectives: first, to examine the governance challenges associated with the implementation of smart specialization policies in different EU regions; second, to examine the governance challenges faced by weaker regions; and third, to explore specific governance approaches to address these challenges. A systematic literature review was conducted to analyze the most relevant studies, extract critical findings, and derive lessons and practical policy recommendations. The review identified two key challenges in the governance of smart specialization policies, namely stakeholder engagement and institutional readiness. These challenges are common in most EU regions and are more critical in weaker regions. Further analysis reveals specific governance approaches that can address these challenges, with some literature explicitly linking these approaches to multilevel governance. Given the gaps identified in the existing literature, this paper aims to lay the groundwork for future research to explore these governance approaches in the context of smart specialization policies in EU regions and, more specifically, in weaker regions.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Implementing smart specialization in EU regions remains challenging.
▶️Stakeholder engagement and institutional readiness are crucial for S3 governance.
▶️A more specific approach to S3 governance is highly encouraged.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/681

06/12/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! [Vol.15(4)]

▶️ Exploring Spatiotemporal Patterns of Cardiovascular Disease in Greece: Insights from the ATTICA Study (2002-2022)
▶️ by Antigoni Faka, Christos Chalkias, Evangelia Damigou, Christina Chrysohoou, Fotios Barkas, Dimitris Dalmyras, Konstantina Kyrilli, Christos Pitsavos, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Costas Tsioufis, Petros P. Sfikakis & Demosthenes Panagiotakos (Harokopio University, Greece | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Greece | University of Ioannina, Greece | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Greece)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate spatiotemporal variability of cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence and identify spatial clusters on Attica region (Greece), over a 20-year period (2002-2022). The 10- and 20-year occurrence of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease was obtained from the ATTICA study, which was conducted between 2002 and 2022. The sample used in this analysis included 1,935 (49,8% males) and 1,902 participants (49.5% males), respectively. CVD occurrence rate at the municipality level were mapped, and spatial autocorrelation analysis was performed to identify statistically significant clusters and outliers in the Attica region. The mapping of CVD occurrence rates revealed an observable increase in most municipalities during the observation period. In addition, a statistically significant clustering of high CVD occurrence rates was found in the most urbanized municipalities of the study area over the period under study. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, focusing on urban populations, to effectively address this trend.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️This study addresses the research gap on CVD trends in Attica, Greece, over 20 years.
▶️CVD rates rose notably in the most urbanized municipalities of central Athens, while suburban areas maintained lower levels.
▶️Positive spatial autocorrelation analysis was revealed for both the 10-year and 20-year CVD occurrence rates.

https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/698

02/12/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! Special Issue: Spatial Humanities and Contemporary Geographical Approaches | Guest Editors: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides, Dr. Joana Catarina Vieira Paulino & Dr. Alexandros Bartzokas-Tsiompras.

▶️ The Birth and Life of Buildings: High-Resolution Analysis of Historical Building Trends through the Digitised Municipal Archive of Tel Aviv-Yafo
▶️ by Elad Horn, Or Aleksandrowicz, Daniel Rosenberg & Ido Baum (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Israel)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: Inconsistent temporal definitions of key events in a building's lifecycles, and especially of its "birth" date, usually impede a large-scale, high-resolution analysis of building trends and construction fluxes based on municipal building datasets. This study addresses this shortcoming by proposing a reproducible ontological dating formulation of major construction activities during a building's lifecycle using the building permit as the most common, reliable, and consistent indicator of a building's age. We tested this approach by analysing the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality's Engineering Administration Archive, which consists of around 5.3 million digitised documents spanning between 1920-2020 and arranged in more than 28,000 building files. We combined permit data with supporting taxation and construction completion documents to automatically extract the date of "birth" or major reconstruction of each of the dataset buildings. The resulting dataset enabled us to generate detailed diachronic maps of urban growth at the resolution of an individual building. Despite challenges such as data discrepancies and archival gaps, this analytical method highlights the value of working directly with raw administrative metadata to uncover valuable insights into historical transformations in the built environment. It also demonstrates the utility of building permits as critical indicators of economic and architectural activities. By applying this approach to urban-scale building datasets, it is possible to predict building ages with reasonable accuracy and, thus, to enhance the understanding of urban growth and transformation dynamics.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Definitions of key dates in a building's lifecycle are inconsistent across public databases.
▶️We propose an ontological formulation of a building birth date for large quantitative analysis.
▶️Automatic processing of building permit dates and quantities can reliably extract building ages.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/685

26/11/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! [Vol.15(4)]
▶️ Forms of vertical segregation in the contemporary city of Athens
▶️ by Nikolina Myofa (National Centre for Social Research, Greece)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: Vertical social segregation as a separation of different social groups in apartment buildings is a phenomenon that mainly appears in the cities of Southern Europe and in some cities of Western and Central Europe. The focus of this paper is the Athenian model of vertical segregation, which shares similarities with the models of other European cities but has its own distinct features. By focusing on the Athenian case, this paper aims to contribute to the broader discussion of segregation at the micro-scale. The study documented here, based on two specific cases, will shed light on the details of the Athenian case. The data were collected within the framework of a recently completed research project on the Municipality of Athens, where vertical segregation is very present. Therefore, this paper is based on the micro-data of this project and on their analysis as part of an ongoing research project. The paper describes the types of micro-segregation existing in two apartment blocks located in different neighbourhoods of the inner city. The main questions addressed were whether these two buildings followed the typical vertical segregation model and whether the structure and the internal design of the specific buildings affected the type of segregation. The study reveals that while the model of vertical segregation is evident in the two case studies, the actual reality is more complex than theoretically expected. The internal design of the buildings has significantly influenced the type of segregation.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Vertical segregation observed in European countries and other parts of the world.
▶️The paper explores the pattern of vertical segregation in Athens.
▶️The findings reveal that the buildings’ internal design impacts segregation patterns

https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/691

22/11/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! Special Issue: Spatial Humanities and Contemporary Geographical Approaches | Guest Editors: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides, Dr. Joana Catarina Vieira Paulino & Dr. Alexandros Bartzokas-Tsiompras.

▶️ Layering Public Park Histories: Uncovering the Effects of Restoration Idea[l]s in Post-War Urban Spaces in Germany and the U.S.
▶️ by Laura Brannan Fretwell Fretwell & Eliane Schmid (George Mason University, USA | Huygens Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Netherlands University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: This paper proposes a lens of analysis for studying how public urban park creation, often presented as inherently beneficial for the public by planners, government officials, and stakeholders, served to enforce prevailing social and political norms by excluding unwanted visitors and fostering specific codes of conduct. The two case studies of post-war park development in Richmond, Virginia, U.S., and Hamburg, DE, exemplify the social and political effects of restoration ideas and ideals on beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. In Richmond, the construction of Chimborazo Park displaced and excluded an African American (Black) community during the aftermath of the Civil War, while Hamburg's Alsterpark was created within the city’s general post-World War II greening initiatives that included forced expropriation and behavior regulation. The joint spatial humanities based approach, which includes GIS modeling and archival source analysis, furthers historical investigation to more deeply understand patterns of displacement, exclusion, and social control. The paper offers an approach for critically examining the planning histories of parks that were created under the justification of restoration but operated as sites of contestation and ideology during moments of societal, political, and social reform.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Historical inquiry into the study of public urban park planning and development.
▶️Use of GIS tools to analyze historical sources, especially atlases and maps, to reveal people’s perceptions, uses, and regulations of space as well as highlights experiences of place.
▶️Challenges the assumption that parks are automatically beneficial to the public.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/679

20/11/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! Special Issue: Spatial Humanities and Contemporary Geographical Approaches | Guest Editors: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides, Dr. Joana Catarina Vieira Paulino & Dr. Alexandros Bartzokas-Tsiompras.

▶️ London's Strand: From Pedestrianisation to Humanisation
▶️ by Cristina A.G. Kiminami & Stuart Dunn (King’s College London, UK)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: When busy urban areas are pedestrianised, the relationship these places have with those using them changes. Most obvious is the topographical increase in the availability of space for those traversing it on foot or bicycle. Nevertheless, there are more subtle changes as well. Regular users of pedestrianised spaces begin to forge routes, habits and responses, shaping the way the (newly) available space is used in practice. In this paper, we describe a project at King's College London which sought to explore this in the context of the newly pedestrianised area of the Strand, one of Central London’s main thoroughfares, which abuts KCL’s campus estate. We used methods drawn from deep mapping combined with quantitative and qualitative observations of research participants' walking experiences. Through GPS traces of their walking routes and qualitative interviews, we focused on understanding the benefits of pedestrianisation, the impact of new street furniture on pedestrian habits, and the transformation of the space into an area for both dwelling and traversing. Such spaces give rise to conceptual and intangible "labyrinths" constructed and mediated through people's individual experiences and through digital locative media. This study demonstrates the potential of the deep mapping paradigm in enhancing our understanding of the pedestrian walking experience in newly pedestrianised areas such as the Strand. We show how deep mapping can support spatial analysis and contribute to developing a comprehensive research and design strategy for urban areas by integrating geospatial technologies and participatory research methods.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Application of spatial analysis through quantitative and qualitative methods.
▶️Discussion on pedestrians' relationship with the surrounding urban environment, which is conditioned by a range of tangible and intangible artificial structures.
▶️Discuss the current dynamics of locating and navigating in cities from both the birds-eye and street-level perspectives.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/687

19/11/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! Special Issue: Spatial Humanities and Contemporary Geographical Approaches | Guest Editors: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides, Dr. Joana Catarina Vieira Paulino & Dr. Alexandros Bartzokas-Tsiompras.

▶️ Unlocking the Research Potential of Early Modern Dutch Maps ▶️ by Leon van Wissen, Manjusha Kuruppath & Lodewijk Petram (University of Amsterdam | Huygens Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Netherlands) ---

📗📖✏️ Abstract: Working from the GLOBALISE project, we have enhanced access to over 5,000 Dutch maps from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, renowned for their geographic and historical significance. We have laid the groundwork for enriching these maps with annotations and metadata following the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) standards, directly linked to their digital representations from the collection-holding institutions. This approach ensures a FAIR framework for sharing research results and fosters collaborative annotation. We enriched the maps with georeferencing annotations and employed automated tools to extract toponyms and geographic features, enabling large-scale analysis. These annotations open new pathways for exploring understudied historical regions, such as early modern Kerala, and assessing Dutch colonial influence globally. By publishing our data early, we aim to encourage further collaborative refinements, allowing a wider scholarly community to improve and build upon this work. This approach highlights the potential of combining historical cartography with computational tools to empower large-scale geographic and historical research.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Dataset of over 5,000 early modern Dutch maps, accessible for collaborative annotation.
▶️Automated tools used to extract geographic features, toponyms, and cartographic symbols from maps.
▶️New opportunities for large-scale analysis of early modern topographies and Dutch colonial influence.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/717

18/11/2024

Prof. Noam Shoval Joins Us!🌟
He is a leading expert in tourism geography, urban geography, Time-Space Activity, and advanced tracking technologies, with a global impact on research and urban policy. He’s published over 120 works and received prestigious awards like the Roy Wolfe Award (2022) for his contributions to the field & discipline of Recreation, Tourism & Sport Geography - Awarded by the American Association of Geographers - Recreation, Tourism & Sport Specialty Group (AGG-RTS). Currently, he directs the European Forum and the Center for Urban Innovation at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. We’re thrilled to have him on our Editorial board! ✨

▶️ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ufaa3DcAAAAJ&hl=en
▶️ https://urbaninnovation.huji.ac.il/

01/11/2024

🌍 We’re excited to welcome Prof. Dr. Stuart Dunn from King’s College London (UK) to the European Journal of Geography's Editorial Board! Prof. Dunn brings a wealth of knowledge in spatial humanities, digital mapping, and cultural heritage. His work explores the digital connections between people, places, and history. We're thrilled to have him on board!

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/stuart-dunn

17/10/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/667

--- Introducing Spatial Heterogeneity via Regionalization Methods in Machine Learning Models for Geographical Prediction: A Spatially Conscious Paradigm ---

🧑‍🎓by Lukas Boegl & Ourania Kounadi (University of Vienna, Austria)

📗📖✏️ Abstract: This study addresses the challenge of incorporating spatial heterogeneity in predictive modeling by introducing regionalization methods in the preprocessing step of the modeling workflow. Spatial heterogeneity, where the mean of attribute values varies across spatial units, poses difficulties for traditional models. To tackle this, we propose a novel approach called Regionalization Random Forest (RegRF), which combines Random Forest with regionalization techniques to enhance predictive performance. Regionalization combines multiple spatial objects into homogeneous regions, which are incorporated into predictive models, allowing models to capture local variations. This research investigates three key questions: (1) How does the predictive performance of RegRF vary when constructed using different regionalization techniques? (2) How does RegRF compare to benchmark methods, including both spatial statistical approaches and spatially conscious machine learning models like Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GW-RF)? Five regionalization methods—WARD, AZP, Kmeans, SKATER, and Max-p—are tested on datasets of varying sizes. Results show that RegRF significantly improves performance over "non-spatial" Random Forest models with minimal additional computation time. While RegRF performs competitively with Geographically Weighted Regression, it requires much less computational effort. GW-RF was not outperformed on smaller datasets but failed to complete for larger datasets. These findings suggest that RegRF can enhance machine learning models by accounting for spatial phenomena, with potential for further optimization.

📣Research Highlights:

▶️RegRF significantly increases the performance of the predictive models in comparison to "non-spatial" Random Forest models, while only taking a few seconds longer to compute.
▶️It competes the well-established Geographically Weighted Regression, while only requiring a fraction of the computational effort.
▶️It can be used for larger datasets while the Geographically Weighted Random Forest may not be able to finish computation.

https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/667

16/10/2024

🎉 We’re delighted to welcome Professor Dr. Chris Brunsdon to the European Journal of Geography’s editorial board!

Currently the Director of the National Centre for Geocomputation at Maynooth University, Ireland, Chris brings a wealth of experience from his work at top universities like Liverpool, Leicester, and Newcastle. His interests cover spatial statistics, data science, crime pattern analysis, environmental applications and health geography. He’s a strong advocate for open-source software and reproducible methods, especially through the R Statistical Programming Language.

We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to his insights helping shape the journal’s future. 🎉

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ukKDP_IAAAAJ&hl=el

16/10/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT! SPECIAL ISSUE: SPATIAL HUMANITIES & CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACHES | GUEST EDITORS: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides, Dr. Joana Catarina Vieira Paulino & Dr. Alexandros Bartzokas-Tsiompras.

--- The Role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Participatory Conservation of Heritage Areas by Hamid Salimi, Somayeh Fadaei Nezhad Bahramjerdi & Rana Tootoonchi (University of Tehran, Iran | Otto- Friedrich University of Bamberg, Germany) ---

📗📖✏️ Abstract: In contemporary heritage management, participatory approaches play a crucial role in identifying and safeguarding values for a diverse range of stakeholders. This inclusive methodology involves professionals, local communities, historians, conservationists, and policymakers in conservation efforts. Successfully addressing challenges in stakeholder engagement is crucial for promoting ownership and stewardship, thereby supporting sustainable conservation efforts. Various methods such as community workshops and collaborative mapping exercises have been adopted. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as a valuable tool in facilitating stakeholder participation. This research explores the potential of GIS in participatory heritage conservation. It aims to present principles and considerations to outline the practical application of GIS in engaging communities for heritage conservation. By bridging traditional heritage management practices with contemporary participatory methods, the research aims to enhance inclusive, informed, and sustainable conservation efforts. On this basis, qualitative methods and logical argumentation are used to analyze research content, drawing on qualitative and quantitative data from previous studies. A conceptual model is presented through a literature review, followed by an evaluation of five case studies from Iran, The USA, Finland, Egypt, and Spain that have utilized GIS in participatory planning processes. The research highlights GIS's capability to capture diverse social groups' perspectives on heritage values and priorities using participatory mapping. This integration of community insights empowers stakeholders in decision-making processes, enhancing inclusivity in heritage management and supporting community-driven initiatives for urban heritage preservation.

📣Research Highlights:

▶️This study explores the pivotal role of GIS in fostering participatory conservation efforts in heritage areas.
▶️The research offering a framework which outlines key principles for GIS-based participatory conservation.
▶️Through the evaluation of five diverse case studies, this research showcases the practical considerations of GIS in participatory conservation.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/657

14/10/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT!
--- Changes in Fuel Prices and the Use of Public Transport: Insights from the European Union following the Invasion of Ukraine by André Alves & Nuno Marques da Costa (University of Lisbon, Portugal) ---
📗📖✏️ Abstract: Rising fuel prices are known to affect public transport (PT) demand. However, the impact of the oil market inflation and subsequent energy crisis following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on mobility behaviour in Europe has received little attention. This study examines shifts in fuel prices and PT mobility across 25 European Union countries between February and May 2022. Weekly variations in PT mobility were correlated with diesel and gasoline prices, and a multiple linear regression was conducted to assess the influence of contextual factors in explaining variations in PT usage. The results indicate a significant increase in PT mobility across all countries after February 2022, which was positively associated with rising fuel prices. Approximately 84% of the variance in mobility was explained, with more pronounced increases observed in countries characterised by lower telecommuting prevalence, higher housing costs relative to household income, greater price differentials between gasoline and diesel, lower adoption of alternative fuels, and higher motorisation rates. These findings suggest that the surge in fuel prices, driven by the 2022 energy crisis, may have stimulated an increase in transit ridership.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️The rise in PT usage in the EU correlated with higher fuel prices post-Ukraine invasion.
▶️Temporal and spatial patterns varied across countries, indicating contextual influences.
▶️Five key indicators explained disparities in PT mobility changes among EU countries.

Vol. 15 No. 4 (2024): (Issue in progress) Research Article Changes in Fuel Prices and the Use of Public Transport: Insights from the European Union following the Invasion of Ukraine PDF André Alves, Nuno Marques da Costa more info André Alves Centre of Geographical Studies and Associate Laboratory...

10/09/2024

🔔📣📢📖 EJG PAPER ALERT!
--- Virtual Field Trip: A study to analyse the raising awareness of biodi-versity loss through biodiversity analyses in Virtual Reality by Nina Heuke genannt Juergensmeier, René Schmidt & Britta Stumpe (Institute of Geography, Department of Human-Environment-Research, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany) ---

📗📖✏️ Abstract: Biodiversity loss poses a significant threat to global ecosystems, with human activities driving extinction at an increasing rate. Despite international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, biodiversity continues to decline. Education about biodiversity is therefore of crucial importance, mainly as part of teacher education. This study examined the effectiveness of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) in university-based geography teacher education to raise awareness of biodiversity loss. Therefore, two study groups, the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG), participated in a quasi-experimental longitudinal study. The EG carried out a VFT as an intervention in which two different ecosystems in Berlin, Germany, were experienced and analysed in terms of biodiversity. With a pre-test and post-test, we examined if the VFT as an intervention affects the EG. The results show no significant differences between the groups after the intervention. However, high mean values for most of the questionnaire scales can already be found for both groups in the pre-test. Likewise, the EG showed intrinsic motivation after the intervention based on the VFT, indicating its potential in education.

📣Research Highlights:
▶️Geography pre-service teachers show a high level of interest in biodiversity and a willingness to act to protect it.
▶️Virtual Reality promotes the student’s intrinsic motivation.

https://eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/656