The Cartographic Design and Production subject addresses abstract concepts in visual perception that are essential for the effective creation of maps in both digital and print formats. This advanced knowledge builds on competencies acquired in prior courses, though the assimilation of these foundational skills may not always be optimal, potentially impacting students' academic performance. Teaching cartographic production techniques is crucial in training of fuure geomatics and surveying engineers. The ability to create and interpret accurate maps is a key competency in these fields, requiring a solid understanding of various technical and abstract concepts, including visual perception and visual variables. However, students' skills and prior knowledge can vary significantly, presenting a challenge for educators in designing pedagogical strategies to meet the learning objectives of the course. The primary objective of this study is to assess students' prior knowledge at the start of the Cartographic Design and Production subject. This assessment aims to identify areas needing reinforcement and to inform the planning of effective didactic interventions. An early diagnosis will allow the teaching methodology to be better adapted to the specific needs of the students.

To conduct this evaluation, a prior knowledge questionnaire was developed, consisting of 20 open-ended questions distributed across five thematic blocks related to subjects from previous semesters in the Geomatics and Surveying Engineering degree program at the University of León. The thematic blocks included technical drawing (3 questions), digital image processing (3 questions), topography (5 questions), cartography (6 questions), and mathematical cartography (3 questions). Responses were evaluated using a four-level scale: correct (weight=1), partially correct (weight=0.5), incorrect (weight=0), and blank (weight=0). The sample for this evaluation consisted of 8 students who completed the questionnaire on the first day of the course.

The assessment results indicated that students had the greatest deficiencies in technical drawing, mathematical cartography, and digital image processing, with starting levels in these areas ranging from 21% to 29%. This suggests a limited understanding of these key concepts. A gender-disaggregated analysis revealed that female students (10% of the sample) had particularly low prior preparation in digital image processing, indicating the need for a differentiated approach in didactic reinforcement to ensure equity in learning.

Identifying the thematic blocks where students show significant deficiencies at the beginning of the course will enable the implementation of an active learning methodology to reinforce these areas during instruction. Furthermore, these results can help reorient the subjects of previous courses to ensure better preparation of students in future cohorts.

Keywords: Cartography, Geomatics, Engineering Education, Learning.