{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T05:03:47Z","timestamp":1779771827495,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779321600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJGI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Enhancing spatial orientation and map-reading skills is a cornerstone of geography education, yet the comparative efficacy of physical versus virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) remains a subject of ongoing debate. This study evaluates the development of navigational competencies through a counterbalanced crossover experimental design involving 20 geography and geography teacher major students. Participants performed standardized spatial tasks, including bearing calculation and distance estimation, in both the volcanic landscape of the Tapolca Basin, Hungary, and its smartphone-based 360-degree virtual reality (VR) counterpart. To assess longitudinal retention and cross-modal transfer, a three-month interval was maintained between the two learning phases, supported by a robust pre-test\/post-test framework. Results indicate that while both environments are susceptible to spatial distortions driven by the visual dominance of physiographic landmarks, VR-based training effectively scaffolds the cognitive frameworks required for real-world navigation. The findings confirm that spatial mental models acquired in a virtual setting possess significant cognitive resilience, as navigational accuracy was maintained over the three-month interval. In conclusion, this research justifies a hybrid pedagogical approach, where immersive digital simulations serve as a preparatory tool for physical fieldwork. The synergy of both modalities is essential for cultivating the resilient spatial intelligence required for professional geographic practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi15050227","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T16:46:18Z","timestamp":1779381978000},"page":"227","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Enhancing Spatial Orientation and Map-Reading Skills: Using Mental Maps and VR in Field Trips for Geography Students"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2843-2856","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"P\u00e9ter","family":"Czomba","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za, 4400 Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za, Hungary"},{"name":"Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Planning, Institute of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6634-7619","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kl\u00e1ra","family":"Czimre","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Planning, Institute of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary"},{"name":"MTA-SZTE Research Group on Geography Teaching and Learning, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4531-5359","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"K\u00e1roly","family":"Teperics","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Planning, Institute of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary"},{"name":"MTA-SZTE Research Group on Geography Teaching and Learning, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0163-6145","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gy\u00f6ngyi","family":"Bujdos\u00f3","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MTA-SZTE Research Group on Geography Teaching and Learning, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary"},{"name":"Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Informatics, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ern\u0151","family":"Moln\u00e1r","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Planning, Institute of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary"},{"name":"MTA-SZTE Research Group on Geography Teaching and Learning, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"G\u00e1bor","family":"N\u00e9gyesi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Geography and Geoinformatics, Institute of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"B\u00e1lint Bence","family":"Juh\u00e1sz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MTA-SZTE Research Group on Geography Teaching and Learning, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary"},{"name":"Institute of Technology and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za, 4400 Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Czimre, K., Teperics, K., Moln\u00e1r, E., Kapusi, J., Saidi, I., Gusman, D., and Bujdos\u00f3, G. 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