A stratified random sample of volunteer participants (N = 75) aged 9 to 14 was drawn from 16 public school districts’ gifted programs, including as many females (n = 28) and children from groups traditionally underrepresented in gifted programs (n = 18) as available. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental (n = 38) and a control group (n = 37) for an intervention study. All participants took the Cognitive Abilities Test (Form 6) Verbal Battery and the Project TALENT Spatial Ability Assessments. The experimental group participated in a simulation of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition for 20 hr total over five consecutive days. All participants took the spatial measure again. Experimental males evidenced significant and meaningful gains in measured spatial ability (Cohen’s d = .87). Females did not evidence significant gains in measured spatial ability. This may be due to sampling error, gender differences in prior experience with LEGO, or differences in facets of spatial ability in the treatment or measurements.
The United States is dependent on innovations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields for the growth of its economy and improvements to quality of life, but too few students are prepared for them. To help meet the challenges in filling the STEM pipeline, teachers of gifted elementary students can nurture important talents, including mathematics achievement, creativity, and spatial ability, through problem-based architectural projects. The importance of developing each of these talents for STEM success is described and related to architecture. Four projects are offered in architecture and various architectural sub-disciplines that are sufficiently challenging for gifted elementary students, including example Common Core State Standards in mathematics that can be incorporated. The usefulness of problem-based learning is described, and problem statements are offered that can be easily revised and extended to meet unique classroom needs. A framework is provided for teachers to create their own architectural projects.
Spatial and creative abilities are important for innovations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, but talents are rarely developed from these abilities by schools, including among gifted children and adolescents who have a high potential to become STEM innovators. This article provides an overview of each ability and makes the case for their connection. Example activities that involve spatial and creative abilities are provided. These activities not only can incorporate state standards but also can provide the challenge necessary to develop spatial and creative talents in gifted learners. Activity examples are provided in the following categories: arts curriculum embedded within STEM subjects, problem solving focused curriculum, computer programming, and academic competitions.
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