The aim of this research was to determine whether the new geographic information technologies, included as teaching objectives in the new European Space for Higher Education Engineering degrees, develop spatial abilities. Bearing this in mind, a first year seminar using the INSPIRE Geoportal (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) was designed, involving 46 engineering students from the University of La Laguna. The spatial orientation ability development was analysed through statistical inference methods, using the Perspective Taking/Spatial Orientation Test. (Contains 6 tables.)