The soundscape as a learning environment:The importance of sounds in the construction of sense of place and in Geographic learning

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2179-0892.geousp.2024.230708

Keywords:

Soundscape, Multisensory learning, Sound perception, Geography education, Active listening

Abstract

Landscape, often studied through a visual perspective, can be more deeply understood through a multisensory approach. This article explores the role of the soundscape as a learning environment, emphasizing the importance of sounds in the construction of a sense of place and in geographical learning. Based on Murray Schäfer’s studies on soundscape, sound emerges as an essential element in understanding the relationship between space, landscape, and cultural identity. Through auditory methodologies, sounds are analyzed for their ability to contribute to the formation of place, demonstrating how the soundscape can be an educational tool. The article investigates how sound, by integrating different sensory stimuli and languages, can promote more inclusive geographical learning and stimulate a critical and emotional understanding of the territory.

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Author Biographies

  • Lorena Rocca, Università di Padova

    Professor Lorena Rocca is currently an Associate Professor of Human Geography at the University of Padua and a Professor of Geography Education at the DFA of SUPSI, where she also serves as the research coordinator. She has gained significant international experience as a Visiting Professor, with appointments at the University of Köln in 2011, at the University of Caxias do Sul in 2010 and 2017, and at the University of Würzburg in 2009. With over 150 publications available on ORCID, Professor Rocca actively contributes to the field of geography education, serving as a referee for academic journals such as J-Reading and RIGEO, and as a member of the editorial board of the "Romanian Review of Geographical Education" and Geotema. Her expertise focuses on geography education and human geography, with a strong commitment to educational research.

  • Lúcio Antônio Leite Alvarenga Botelho, Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Educação

    Pós-doutorando pela Faculdade de Educação da Universidade de São Paulo. Doutor em Geografia com dupla titulação pela Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) e pela Università Degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD), Itália. Mestre e graduado em Geografia. 

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Published

2025-07-02

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Dossiê Ensino Geografia

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Copyright (c) 2025 Lorena Rocca, Lucio Antonio Leite Alvarenga Botelho

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How to Cite

ROCCA, Lorena; BOTELHO, Lúcio Antônio Leite Alvarenga. The soundscape as a learning environment:The importance of sounds in the construction of sense of place and in Geographic learning. GEOUSP Espaço e Tempo (Online), São Paulo, Brasil, v. 29, n. 1, p. e230708, 2025. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2179-0892.geousp.2024.230708. Disponível em: https://revistas.usp.br/geousp/article/view/230708.. Acesso em: 3 jan. 2026.