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The objective of this study was to design community geographic strategies that integrate participatory data collection methodologies, focused on the child population, to strengthen university extension projects in rural contexts. A descriptive and participatory research was developed in El Caracucho Primary School, La Pitaloza, Herrera province, with the participation of twenty-five students and a teacher. The methodology included community meetings, practical training workshops on the use of iconographies and social cartography, and the collective elaboration of illustrative community maps of the territory. The results showed that the active participation of the children, through geographic tools adapted to their cognitive capacities such as maps and emojis, made it possible to identify relevant local problems, such as the fear of agrochemical spraying. The visual evaluation with iconographies reflected a high level of satisfaction and motivation among participants, validating the effectiveness of the strategies implemented. In addition, the dependence on the public education system and the existence of deficiencies in basic infrastructure were confirmed, highlighting the importance of continuing to develop inclusive and participatory methodologies in data collection for extension projects.
These findings strengthen the link between the university and the community and open the opportunity for future scientific research in rural settings.
