University and digital transition: The community map as a psycho-educational tool for the care and enhancement of the shared spaces of a university campus
The article examines the development of a community map for the campus of the University of Palermo, carried out by students as part of an educational experiment. Within the framework of community psychology, innovative digital tools (GIS and online mapping) were employed to foster the care of shared spaces. Students developed skills in analysis, collaboration, and active participation. The use of open-access online digital software (Google My Maps and QGIS) made the process engaging, supporting the acquisition of digital competencies and active citizenship. This initiative highlights the potential of digital technologies in practices of caring for shared living spaces, as well as their possible impact on the sense of belonging and civic responsibility within the academic community.
Riferimenti bibliografici
Altman, I. (1975). Environment and Social Behavior: Privacy, Personal Space, Territoriality and Crowdind. Brooks/Cole.
Bishop, I. D., & Miller, D. (2007). Transforming Landscapes: Visualizing Change. Routledge.
Borghi, B. (2016). La Storia. Indagare, apprendere, comunicare. Pàtron Editore.
Brower, S. (1980). Territory in Urban Settings. In I. Altman, A. Rapaport, & J. Wholwill (Eds.), Human Behavior and Environment (pp. 179-207). Plenum Press.
Ceri, P. (1991). Partecipazione sociale. In Enciclopedia delle scienze sociali, vol. 6 (pp. 508-517). Istituto dell’Enciclopedia italiana.
Chambers, R. (2005). Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Whose Map? Who Is Empowered and Who Disempowered? Who Gains and Who Loses? Electronic Journal of Information Systems, 25, 1-11.
Clifford, S. (2006). Il valore dei luoghi. In StrumentIRES Genius loci. Perché, quando e come realizzare una mappa di comunità (pp. 1-5). IRES.
De Smith, M., Goodchild, M.F., & Longley, P. (2018). Geospatial Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide to Principles, Techniques and Software Tools. The Winchelsea Press.
Dunn, C. E. (2007). Participatory GIS – a People’s GIS? Progress in Human Geography, 31(5), 616-637.
Esposito, V. (2017). Cartografie implicite e mappe di comunità: per una diversa classificazione dei Beni culturali. EtnoAntropologia, 4(1), 47-56.
Fahy, F., & Ó Cinnéide, M. (2009). Re-Constructing the Urban Landscape Through Community Mapping: An Attractive Prospect for Sustainability? Area, 41(2), 167-75.
Francescato, D., & Tomai, M. (2002). I profili di comunità nell’era della globalizzazione. In M. Prezza, & M. Santinello (Eds.), Conoscere la comunità (pp 39-45). il Mulino.
Galioto, M., Cammarata, I.G., Fortunato Priore, M., Tavares, P., Boca, S., Novara, C., Lavanco, G., & Bianco, A. (2025). Students’ Feelings in Higher Education: A First Investigation in Italy with the University Students Belonging Scale. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101393. Doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101393.
Gatti, F., & Procentese, F. (2021). Experiencing Urban Spaces and Social Meanings Through Social Media: Unravelling the Relationships Between Instagram City-Related Use, Sense of Place, and Sense of Community. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 78, 101691.
Haklay, M. (2010). How Good is Volunteered Geographical Information? A Comparative Study of OpenStreetMap and Ordnance Survey Datasets. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 37(4), 682-703.
Kieffer, C. (1984). Citizen Empowerment: A Developmental Perspective. Prevention in Human Services, 3(2/3), 9-36.
King, A., & Clifford, S. (1985). Holding Your Ground: An Action Guide to Local Conservation. Penguin.
Leslie, K. (2007). Le Parish Maps del West Sussex. Un “modello” per rappresentare l’identità territoriale. In F. Balletti (Ed.), Sapere tecnico – Sapere locale. Conoscenza, identificazione, scenari per il Progetto. Alinea Editrice.
Lydon, M. (2003). Community Mapping: The Recovery (and Discovery) of Our Common Ground. Geomatica, 57 (2), 131-44.
Madau, C. (2015). “Le mappe di comunità”: esperienze di cartografia partecipata per lo sviluppo locale”. In Atti della XIX Conferenza Nazionale ASITA – Associazioni Scientifiche per le Informazioni Territoriali ed Ambientali (Lecco, 1º ottobre 2015) (pp. 541-548).
Magnaghi, A. (2010). Le mappe di comunità: uno strumento per uno statuto del territorio socialmente condiviso. In A. Magnaghi (Ed.), Montespertoli: le mappe di comunità per lo statuto del territorio. Alinea Editrice.
Magnaghi, A. (Ed.). (2016). La pianificazione paesaggistica in Italia. Stato dell’arte e innovazioni. Firenze University Press.
Mannarini, T. (2024). Comunità e partecipazione. FrancoAngeli (1a ed. 2004).
Martini, E., & Sequi, R. (1988). Il lavoro della comunità. Nuova Italia Scientifica.
Maton, K. I. (2008). Empowering Community Settings: Agents of Individual Development, Community Betterment, and Positive Social Change. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1/2), 4-21.
McCall, M.K., Martinez, J., & Verplanke, J. (2015). Shifting Boundaries of Volunteered Geographic Information Systems and Modalities: Learning from PGIS. ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies, 14(3), 791-826.
Meister, A. (1969). Participation, animation et développement à partir d’une étude rurale in Argentine. Edition Anthropos.
Novara, C., Marino, I, & Di Napoli, G. (2024). Dall’esperienza di Photovoice alla riflessività a doppio filo studenti-docente. In G. Cappuccio, G. Compagno, R. Lombardo, A. Maggio, & E. Mignosi (Eds.), Mentoring e didattica universitaria (pp. 129-132). Palermo University Press.
Pedler, M. L., Willis, R., & Nieuwoudt, J. E. (2021). A Sense of Belonging at University: Student Retention, Motivation and Enjoyment. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 46(3), 397-408. Doi: 10.1080/0309877X.2021.1955844.
Perkins, C. (2007). Community Mapping. The Cartographic Journal, 44(2), 127-137.
Peterson, A., & Reid, R. (2003). Paths to Psychological Empowerment in an Urban Community: Sense of Community and Citizen Participation in Substance Abuse Prevention Activities. Journal of Community Psychology, 31(1), 25-38.
Peterson, N. A., & Zimmerman, M.A. (2004). Beyond the Individual: Toward a Nomological Network of Organizational Empowerment. American Journal of Community Psychology, 13(5), 569-579.
Proshansky, H. M. (1983). Place Identity: Physical World Socialisation of the Self. J. Environ. Psychol., 3, 57-83. Doi: 10.1016/S0272-4944(83)80021-8.
Rappapport, J. (1987). Terms of Empowerment/Exemplars of Prevention: Toward a Theory for Community Psychology. American Journal for Community Psychology, 15(2), 121-148.
Rinner, C., & Rauscher, H. (2018). Participatory Mapping and Community Engagement. In Handbook of Research on Urban Spatial Dynamics and Socioeconomic Development. IGI Global.
Sack, R.D. (1983). Human Territoriality. A Theory. Annals of American Geographers, 73(1), 55-74.
Santinello, M., & Vieno, A. (Eds.) (2013). Metodi di intervento in psicologia di comunità. il Mulino.
Shkabatur, J. (2014). Interactive Community Mapping: Between Empowerment and Effectiveness. In B.-S. Gigler, & S. Bailur (Eds.), Closing the Feedback Loop: Can Technology Bridge the Accountability Gap? Washington DC: World Bank.
Signore, F., Esposito, C., Di Napoli, I., Agueli, B., Ingusci, E. Mannarini, T., Toto, G. A., Ar-cidiacono, C., & Fantinelli, E. (2024). Social Dimensions as Resources in Promoting Academic Well-Being: The Case Study of the University of Foggia. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1347532.
Summa, A. (2009). La percezione sociale del paesaggio: le mappe di comunità. In Atti della XII Conferenza SIU – Società Italiana degli Urbanisti (Bari, 19-20 febbraio 2009).
Thompson, M. M. (2015). Public Participation GIS and Neighbourhood Recovery: Using Community Mapping for Economic Development. International Journal of Data Mining, Modelling and Management, 7(1), 24-38.
Torrisi, B., & Pernagallo, G. (2022). The Relationship Between Academic Well-Being and Territoriality in Italy. Soc. Indic. Res., 161, 413-431. Doi: 10.1007/s11205-020-02309-8.
Verbena, S., & Rochira, A. (2024). L’analisi della comunità locale. In T. Mannarini (Ed.), Comunità e partecipazione (pp. 30-55). FrancoAngeli (1a ed. 2004).
Wentzel, K. R., & Wigfield, A. (1998). Academic and Social Motivational Influences on Students’ Academic Performance. Educational Psychology Review, 10 (2), 155-175. Doi: 10.1023/A:1022137619834.
Wittel, A. (2018). Higher Education as a Gift and as a Commons. TripleC, 16(1), 194-213.
Wood, D. (2010). Rethinking the Power of Maps. New York, Guilford Press.
Wood, J. (2005). ‘How Green Is My Valley?’ Desktop Geographic Information Systems as a Community-Based Participatory Mapping Tool. Area, 37(2), 159-170.
Wridt, P. (2010). A Qualitative GIS Approach to Mapping Urban Neighborhoods with Children to Promote Physical Activity and Child-Friendly Community Planning. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 37(1), 129-147.
Zimmerman, M. (2000). Empowerment Theory. In J. Rappaport, & E. Seidman (Eds.), Handbook of Community Psychology (pp. 43-63). Kluwer Academic/Plenum Press.