Journal
CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Volume 22, Issue 5, Pages 367-373Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0963721413484756
Keywords
spatial thinking; STEM education; cognitive training; transfer
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Although neglected in traditional education, spatial thinking plays a critical role in achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. We review this relationship and investigate the malleability of spatial thinking. Can spatial thinking be improved with training, life experience, or educational interventions? Can improving spatial thinking improve STEM achievement? Research indicates that the answer is yes to both questions. A recent quantitative synthesis of 206 spatial training studies found an average training improvement of 0.47 standard deviations. Training effects lasted for months in studies examining durability and transferred to tasks that differed at least moderately from training tasks. A few studies indicate that spatial training can improve STEM learning, although more research needs to be done on this issue. We argue that including spatial thinking in STEM curricula could substantially increase the number of Americans with the requisite cognitive skills to enter STEM careers.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available