Keyword: «information competence»

The article examines the role of geographic information systems (GIS) in the modern school geography curriculum as a tool for implementing an activity‑based approach to learning. The authors justify the need to integrate digital technologies into the educational process, taking into account the characteristics of the “digital native” generation. The paper analyses the place of GIS technologies in the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES) and the school geography syllabus for grades 5–10, and provides specific examples of their application when studying various topics within the subject, such as the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, geography of Russia, and others. The methodological possibilities of GIS for organising practical exercises, project‑based learning, and virtual field trips are described. It is shown that the use of GIS contributes to developing students’ cartographic literacy, information competence, and analytical thinking, increases cognitive interest, and enables the implementation of a practice‑oriented approach in geography education.