Increasing Spatial Learning in Formal and Informal Settings Nora S. Newcombe

Temple University and

Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center

Spatial Thinking Is Important in Scientific Thought and Communication

High School Spatial Ability Predicts Later Occupations Wai, Lubinski & Benbow (2009)

Standardized Score

Spatial Thinking Is Malleable

•  Meta-analysis shows large training effects, as well as durability and transfer –  Uttal, Meadow, Hand, Lewis, Warren, & Newcombe, under review

Improving Spatial Thinking Could Increase Technology-Trained Workforce

Improving Spatial Thinking in Early Informal Education •  How should we best enhance spatial learning in children?

–  Importance of gesture –  Usefulness of analogy –  Importance of spatial language –  Importance of play

•  Puzzle play •  Paper folding •  Block play

Language in Block Play Contexts Ferrara, Golinkoff, Hirsh-Pasek, Lam & Newcombe (2011), Mind, Brain and Education

Pre-assembled Play Free Play Guided Play

Parental Spatial Language in Four Contexts Ferrara, Golinkoff, Hirsh-Pasek, Lam & Newcombe (2011), Mind, Brain and Education

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Teaching Geometric Shapes with Guided Play Fisher, Hirsh-Pasek, Newcombe & Golinkoff (under review)

•  Children often see only typical shapes

•  Showing a range of shapes helps, especially in a guided play context

Preschoolers Benefit from Visualization Joh, Jaswal & Keen, 2011

•  Preschoolers asked to visualize how a ball goes through a tube avoid the “straight down” or gravity error

Improving Spatial Thinking in Formal Education •  Two strategies

–  Modify the learner –  Modify the learning materials

•  Meta-analysis (Hoffler, 2010, Ed. Psych. Review) –  spatial ability plays an important role in learning from

visualizations (mean effect size r   =  0.34) –  but is moderated by—at least—two compensating

factors; learners with low spatial ability can be significantly supported by

•  a dynamic visualization •  as well as a 3d-visualization.

Visual Representations Abound in Science Textbooks

•  Diagrams •  Photographs •  Photomicrographs •  Flow charts •  Tables •  Graphs

1)  Would the beam still follow the same path when the plates are charged?

2)  What happens to the beam when the plates are charged?

•  We have developed a curriculum for teaching diagrammatic reasoning based on teaching conventions of diagrams –  Modifying the learner

•  We then saw if we could augment this curriculum with –  Self-explanation –  Student-completed figures

•  Visual •  Verbal

–  Modifying the curriculum (and maybe the learner too)

Can We Teach High School Biology Students to Reason Better with Diagrams?

Teaching Conventions of Diagrams Helps Cromley, Bergey, Fitzhugh, Newcombe, Wills, Shipley, and Tanaka (under review) • Post-test of diagrammatic reasoning • Beginning of year achievement as covariate • Significant time by treatment interaction

• d = .8 treatment • d = .2 control

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•  Workbook students increase time spent on the diagram, significantly more so than Demonstration students

•  Workbook students maintain time spent on naming and explanatory labels, whereas Demonstration students show significant decrease

Changes in Eye Tracking

How Do We Further Improve Student Comprehension of Diagrams? Cromley, Bergey, Fitzhugh, Newcombe, Wills, Shipley, and Tanaka (under review)

•  We compared three augmented packages –  Self-Explanation –  Student-Completed Figures—Visual –  Student-Completed Figures—Verbal

•  Assessed effects (pre- to posttest) on –  Biology diagram comprehension –  Biology knowledge –  Geoscience diagram comprehension

•  Teacher-delivered in 9th grade biology classes

Self-Explanation

Eu-­‐Squeak-­‐a!    If  there  are  four  off-­‐spring,  there  will  be  one  of  each  combina=on.    But  what  will  the  fiAh  one  be  like?

Student Completed Figures-Verbal

Student Completed Figures-Visual

Results: Biology Diagrams

d = 0.30* d = 0.32* d = 0.22*

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Results: Biology Knowledge

d = 0.63* d = 0.04 d = 0.68*

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Results: Geoscience Diagrams

d = 0.37* d ~ 0 d = 0.28*

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http://www.spatialintelligence.org

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