Currently there is a global drive among political and educational institutions to implement geographic information system (GIS) practice in secondary schools. However, Geography teachers worldwide, including in South Africa, face significant practical challenges in this regard. Lack of curriculum aligned GIS resources, funds and teacher GIS pedagogical knowledge have been documented as key GIS practice integration challenges. Evidently, GIS development and GIS curriculum incorporation have outpaced GIS educational research. This article documents the development and tentative assessment of a GIS plug-and-play tutor application in South Africa. The Interactive GIS Tutor (IGIST) aims to create a gateway towards GIS practice, so that learning can move from textbook-oriented learning to exploring the globe through GIS software, procedures and applications. Results found within this case study indicate that IGIST is a feasible option, and fosters a positive GIS attitude among learners and teachers. Future IGIST recommendations include multiple languages and more exploratory activities.