Exploring and enhancing spatial thinking skills: Learning differences of university students within a web‐based GIS mapping environment

Abstract

There is a dearth of research concerning the learning effects of web‐based mapping tools on students with different learning characteristics. This study investigates the extent that different learning styles exert an influence on spatial thinking of students within a web‐based GIS mapping environment. Thirty six sophomores utilized the tools over one semester in a course guided by a blended learning approach. A learning style inventory, a self‐rating questionnaire and a survey were administered to these students to examine their learning styles, the development of their spatial thinking skills as well as factors influencing the enhancement of their spatial thinking skills. Results show that all learners have improved their spatial thinking skills after interacting with the GIS mapping tools. However, the visual and auditory learners have improved significantly more than the kinaesthetic learners (p = 0.024). The survey result from students shows that such differences may be attributable to the design of the web interface that matches the learning styles of the visual and auditory learners better than with that of the kinaesthetic learners. Our findings contribute to the current debate on students’ learning styles as well as to help instructional designers and educators optimize learning in spatial thinking through personalized learning design.

Towards a holistic framework for delivering quality GIS education within and across disciplines

“…Also interesting is how to effectively reflect the 2D teaching GIS space in the 2D learning GIS space and strategically embed this area within the greater 3D GIS educational space. Many previous studies on aspects of our work also present opportunities for future research, including: (a) extending DeMers' (2009) work by positioning the GIS&T BoK within the 3D educational space and examining its relative emphasis on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective competencies; (b) building on studies like Prager and Plewe's (2009) to assess how GIS&T curricular fit into the 3D educational space; (c) expanding on Metoyer and Bednarz's (2017) work to conduct classroom experiments on the specific nature of the connections between various thinking modalities (e.g., computational thinking and spatial thinking); and (d) drawing on the work of Xiang and Liu (2018) to examine preferred student learning styles and their impacts on academic performance in different educational domains. Lastly, insofar as there are multiple versions of the GIS BoK that are experiencing widespread use, we have perhaps reached the point where we need to develop an equivalent GIS CoQ (i.e., collection of questions) that is peer reviewed and openly available for adoption and adaptation to create effective classroom assessments.…”

“…These and other visual representations are crucial in geoinquiry where they are used to visually present, synthesize, confirm, analyze, and explore geospatial data to expose, understand, and explain the nature (e.g., topological relations) of geospatial phenomena (DiBiase, 1990; MacEachren et al., 2004). They are also effective classroom tools, especially for students who learn in visual ways (Xiang & Liu, 2018). These students exhibited better spatial thinking skills than those who learn kinesthetically after exposure to a largely visual web GIS, indicating that visual thinking basically aids spatial thinking (Xiang & Liu, 2018).…”

“…They are also effective classroom tools, especially for students who learn in visual ways (Xiang & Liu, 2018). These students exhibited better spatial thinking skills than those who learn kinesthetically after exposure to a largely visual web GIS, indicating that visual thinking basically aids spatial thinking (Xiang & Liu, 2018).…”

Introducing innovative technologies in higher education: An experience in using geographic information systems for the teaching‐learning process

“…Jo et al [20] The findings indicate that web-based GIS activities significantly enhanced students' spatial thinking skills Bearman et al [6] This study evaluates how this contributes to critical spatial thinking Xiang and Liu [44] This study investigates the extent that different learning styles exert an influence on spatial thinking of students…”

Understanding higher education students' developing perceptions of geocapabilities through the creation of story maps with geographical information systems

“…Walkington et al (2018) describe this as 'geocapabilities' or geographical disciplinary expertise that comprises spatial thinking, geographical imagination, structured exploration of places, ethical thinking and integrative thinking about society and environment. In educational contexts, researchers often focus on how students can develop spatial thinking through learning and using GIS and its related technologies (Bodzin, 2011;Collins, 2018;Demirci, 2008;Favier & van der Schee, 2014;Hou et al, 2016;Jo et al, 2016;Kim & Bednarz, 2013;Kolvoord et al, 2019;Lee & Bednarz, 2009;Madsen & Rump, 2012;Manson et al, 2014;Nielsen et al, 2011;Xiang & Liu, 2019). Yet, according to Walkingon et al's (2018) conceptualisation, spatial thinking does not encapsulate the entirety of geocapabilities.…”