Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer
The present study conducted a randomized control trial to assess the efficacy of two spatial intervention programs aimed to improve Grade 4 (N = 287) students’ spatial visualization skills and math performance. The first treatment (N = 98) focused on isolated spatial training that included 40 min of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Intelligence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/11/6/127 |
| _version_ | 1797593975033430016 |
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| author | Tom Lowrie Tracy Logan |
| author_facet | Tom Lowrie Tracy Logan |
| author_sort | Tom Lowrie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study conducted a randomized control trial to assess the efficacy of two spatial intervention programs aimed to improve Grade 4 (N = 287) students’ spatial visualization skills and math performance. The first treatment (N = 98) focused on isolated spatial training that included 40 min of digital spatial training across fourteen weeks. The second treatment (N = 92) embedded spatial visualization skill development into math lessons, along with the digital spatial training that provided practice of the newly acquired skills. A business-as-usual group acted as a control (N = 97). Engagement with the embedded intervention program (i.e., both lessons and digital training) showed large additive effects, highlighting the role of spatial reasoning tools to support the transfer of spatial reasoning to math. The isolated intervention program with the digital spatial training had a transfer effect on math, compared to a business-as-usual control, while spatial reasoning improvements for this group were mixed. The spatial skills targeted in the digital training had a mediation effect on math performance, despite not increasing in the pre–post-test design. The effects of the digital training cohort were moderated by initial spatial skill, with students with lower spatial reasoning making the least gains in math. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:17:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-243a36ecf55d4dfcb7ac9b56ed9b2d1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-3200 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:17:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Intelligence |
| spelling | doaj.art-243a36ecf55d4dfcb7ac9b56ed9b2d1e2023-11-18T11:04:58ZengMDPI AGJournal of Intelligence2079-32002023-06-0111612710.3390/jintelligence11060127Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial TransferTom Lowrie0Tracy Logan1STEM Education Research Centre, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, AustraliaSTEM Education Research Centre, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, AustraliaThe present study conducted a randomized control trial to assess the efficacy of two spatial intervention programs aimed to improve Grade 4 (N = 287) students’ spatial visualization skills and math performance. The first treatment (N = 98) focused on isolated spatial training that included 40 min of digital spatial training across fourteen weeks. The second treatment (N = 92) embedded spatial visualization skill development into math lessons, along with the digital spatial training that provided practice of the newly acquired skills. A business-as-usual group acted as a control (N = 97). Engagement with the embedded intervention program (i.e., both lessons and digital training) showed large additive effects, highlighting the role of spatial reasoning tools to support the transfer of spatial reasoning to math. The isolated intervention program with the digital spatial training had a transfer effect on math, compared to a business-as-usual control, while spatial reasoning improvements for this group were mixed. The spatial skills targeted in the digital training had a mediation effect on math performance, despite not increasing in the pre–post-test design. The effects of the digital training cohort were moderated by initial spatial skill, with students with lower spatial reasoning making the least gains in math.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/11/6/127spatial reasoningmathspatial digital trainingspatial visualization |
| spellingShingle | Tom Lowrie Tracy Logan Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer Journal of Intelligence spatial reasoning math spatial digital training spatial visualization |
| title | Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer |
| title_full | Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer |
| title_fullStr | Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer |
| title_short | Spatial Visualization Supports Students’ Math: Mechanisms for Spatial Transfer |
| title_sort | spatial visualization supports students math mechanisms for spatial transfer |
| topic | spatial reasoning math spatial digital training spatial visualization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/11/6/127 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tomlowrie spatialvisualizationsupportsstudentsmathmechanismsforspatialtransfer AT tracylogan spatialvisualizationsupportsstudentsmathmechanismsforspatialtransfer |