Development and Analysis of a Spatial Visualization Test for Middle School Boys and Girls

Ben‐Chaim, David; Lappan, Glenda; Houang, Richard T.

doi:10.2466/pms.1986.63.2.659

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Previous studies characterizing spatial visualization of different populations did not mention bimodal distributions of performances (Battista et al, 1989;Ben-Chaim et al, 1988;Kyllonen, Lohman, & Snow, 1984;Russell-Gebbett, 1985;Small & Morton, 1983;Smith & Schroeder, 1981). Moreover, in many of these studies, parametric statistical procedures such as t-tests, and analyses of variance, which are based on normal distributions, were used.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such tests involve mental manipulations such as rotation (Ben-Chaim et al, 1986) or unfolding of objects (Bennet, Seashore, & Wesman, 1972), which refer to the external surfaces of the objects; the problems of GeoSAT refer to the internal parts, and thus involve the unique ability of VPA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of them are geometry (Battista, Wheatley, & Talsma, 1989;Ben-Chaim, Lappan, & Houang, 1985;Cooper, 1992), chemistry (Dyche, Mclurg, Stepans, & Veath, 1993;Seddon & Moor, 1986;Small & Morton, 1983;Tuckey & Selvaratnam, 1993), biology (Russell-Gebbett, 1984, 1985, astronomy (Broadfoot, 1993), and engineering graphics (Rodriguez, 1990; Wiley, 1990). A majority of the studies that investigated the role of experience and the effect of instruction on spatial skills indicated that these skills can be improved through learning experiences (Baenninger & Newcombe, 1989;Ben-Chaim, Lappan, & Houang, 1988;Kiser, 1990;Lord, 1985Lord, , 1987Smith & Schroeder, 1981).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although considerable dispute surrounds the magnitude of this difference, the age of its arousal, and its sources, many researchers agree that the spatial abilities of males are more highly developed than those of the females (Baenninger & Newcombe, 1989;Hyde, 1990;Johnson & Meade, 1987;Linn & Petersen, 1985;Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974;McGee, 1979). However, evidence exists that instructional programs induce similar improvement rates for males and females (Ben-Chaim et al, 1988).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial abilities of high-school students in the perception of geologic structures

Kali

Orion

1996

J. Res. Sci. Teach.

163

101

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The specific spatial abilities required for the study of basic structural geology were characterized by quantitative and qualitative data analysis. A geologic spatial ability test (GeoSAT) was developed and administered to 115 comprehensive high-school students. Six of these students were interviewed. An analysis of students' incorrect answers revealed two types of answers: (a) nonpenetrative answers, which were based on external exposures of the structure; and (b) penetrative answers, which indicated attempts at representing internal properties of the structure. Students who tended to give penetrative incorrect answers performed significantly higher than students who tended to give nonpenetrative incorrect answers. The reasoning of students for these types of answers, as determined by interviews, supported the initial assumption that these answers were given by students with different levels of ability mentally to penetrate the image of a structure, which was named visual penetration ability (VPA). The interview findings indicated that the VPA is one of two complementary factors needed to solve the problems of GeoSAT; the other factor is the ability to perceive the spatial configuration of the structure. It is concluded that the teaching and learning process should provide students with assistance in both of these areas. 1.What are the typical answers students give in solving such problems? 2. What are students' reasoning behind different types of answers? 1. Cross-section subtest, including four problems which require drawing cross-sections of structures presented as block diagrams (Figure la). 2. Completion subtest, including four problems which require completing block diagrams that reveal only a single face (Figure 1 b). Construction subtest, including five problems in which two cross-sections and theirlocation on a very simplified geologic map are given. The students are required to draw a third cross-section at a specified location on the map (Figure lc).Each subtest is based on the same geologic structures, which include inclined flat layers, two types of horizontal folds (upright synclinal and anticlinal), and a plunging anticlinal fold (Figure 2).The test includes an instruction sheet, which gives an illustrated explanation of the concept cross-secrion, designed for non-earth sciences students. In addition, the following guidelines are listed:1. The problems might have more than one correct answer. 2. The layers are continuous and have consistent thicknesses. 3. The block diagrams can be regarded as cut out of larger three-dimensional structures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial abilities of high-school students in the perception of geologic structures

Kali

Orion

1996

J. Res. Sci. Teach.

163

101

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“…This instrument combined four selected puzzles of the GeoTAT and seventeen selected puzzles from the MGMP (Middle Grades Mathematics Project) Spatial visualization test (Ben-Chaim, Lappan, and Houang, 1986;1988). Its purpose was to determine if the ability to temporally order strata is influenced by spatial-visual ability.…”

Section: Tst (Temporal-spatial Test)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Building an understanding of geological time: A cognitive synthesis of the “macro” and “micro” scales of time

Dodick¹,

Orion²

2006

Earth and Mind: How Geologists Think and Learn About the Earth

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Few discoveries in geology are more important than geological time. However, for most people it is impossible to grasp because of its massive scale. In this chapter we offer a solution to this problem based on our research in cognition and education. Our strategy involves the decoupling of geological time between the macro-scale of "deep time which includes the major features of earth history, and whose research we call event-based studies, and the micro-scale of relative time represented by strata, whose research we term logicbased studies. Our event-based study focuses on the problem of learning about macroevolution within the massive time scale of the fossil record. We approached this problem by creating a four-stage learning model in which the students manipulate a series of increasingly complex visual representations of evolution in time. Post program results indicate that students had a better understanding of macroevolution as seen in the fossil record; moreover, they appreciated that different events in absolute time required different scales of time to occur. Our logic-based studies used Montagnero's diachronic thinking model as a basis for describing how students reconstruct geological systems in time. Using this model, we designed three specialized instruments to test a sample of middle and high school students. Our findings indicated that there were significant differences between grade 9-12 and grade 7-8 students in their ability to reconstruct geological systems. Moreover, grade 11-12 geology majors in Israel had a significant advantage over their non-geological counterparts in such reconstruction tasks.

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Cognitive factors affecting student understanding of geologic time

2003

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A critical element of the earth sciences is reconstructing geological structures and systems that have developed over time. A survey of the science education literature shows that there has been little attention given to this concept. In this study, we present a model, based on Montagnero's (1996) model of diachronic thinking, which describes how students reconstruct geological transformations over time. For geology, three schemes of diachronic thinking are relevant: 1. Transformation, which is a principle of change; in geology it is understood through actualistic thinking (the idea that present proceeses can be used to model the past). 2. Temporal organization, which defines the sequential order of a transformation; in geology it is based on the three-dimensional relationship among strata. 3. Interstage linkage, which is the connections between successive stages of a transformation; in geology it is based on both actualism and causal reasoning. Three specialized instruments were designed to determine the factors which influence reconstructive thinking: (a) the GeoTAT which tests diachronic thinking skills, (b) the TST which tests the relationship between spatial thinking and temporal thinking, and (c) the SFT which tests the influence of dimensional factors on temporal awareness. Based on the model constructed in this study we define the critical factors influencing reconstructive thinking: (a) the transformation scheme which influences the other diachronic schemes, (b) knowledge of geological processes, and (c) extracognitive factors. Among the students tested, there was a significant difference between Grade 9-12 students and Grade 7-8 students in their ability to reconstruct geological phenomena using diachronic thinking. This suggests that somewhere between Grades 7 and 8 it is possible to start teaching some of the logical principles used in geology to reconstruct geological structures. ß

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Development and Analysis of a Spatial Visualization Test for Middle School Boys and Girls

Cited by 14 publications

References 13 publications

Spatial abilities of high-school students in the perception of geologic structures

Spatial abilities of high-school students in the perception of geologic structures

Building an understanding of geological time: A cognitive synthesis of the “macro” and “micro” scales of time

Cognitive factors affecting student understanding of geologic time

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