The implementation of tools, methods, and information sources for analyzing urban spaces or territories are key competencies that students should acquire during their training in Architecture, particularly in the context of Urban Planning. While traditional urban studies have based their analytical methods on bibliographic or fieldwork, recent years have seen the widespread adoption of methods and sources related to new technologies to obtain other types of data or information linked to both tangible and intangible aspects of urban reality. These data sources, including social media and other geolocation-based web services, have enriched contemporary urban research, allowing for the study of specific aspects of the urban dimension.

Thus, this teaching experience involved incorporating geospatial data from certain social media and other web services to study specific urban phenomena related to the theoretical-practical content of Urbanism in Architecture. The aim is to provide students with innovative tools and information sources that help them complement analytical work previously developed through more traditional processes, addressing issues that are difficult to tackle using other methods. The experience was implemented across three Urban Planning courses offered between the second and fourth years of the Bachelor's Degree in Fundamentals of Architecture at the University of Alicante (specifically Urban Planning 1, Urban Planning 2, and Urban Planning 4). Each course addresses different aspects of the urban dimension, including the morphological analysis of the urban fabric, growth models, or historical evolution (U1); the analysis and design of public spaces (U2); and the characterization of landscapes and projects at the peri-urban and territorial scale (U4).

The methodological process consisted of three phases. In the first phase, information sources and their data were selected based on their potential to study specific issues related to the urban and/or territorial environment. In the second phase, these data were integrated into exercises conducted during sessions focused on using GIS tools. During these sessions, students were instructed on how to download the data, visualize them, and perform geospatial analyses to derive meaningful conclusions about the studied urban phenomena. The results of these exercises were compiled into a series of thematic maps to evaluate the experience. In the third phase, the experience was qualitatively assessed based on the outcomes of the exercises and the achievement of the initial objectives. Additionally, an anonymous survey was conducted with students.

The results showed that students have developed skills in critically analyzing urban phenomena, improving their ability to interpret geospatial data from digital sources. Additionally, the use of GIS tools has strengthened their technical competencies in spatial analysis, data visualization, and the creation of thematic maps. These maps have contributed insights into specific urban and territorial phenomena. The cartographies generated by the students could serve as valuable sources of information for interpreting urban spaces, revealing patterns of social behavior that may inform future urban interventions.

Keywords: Urban planning, GIS tools, social media, geospatial data, mapping.