1 increasing spatial learning in formal and informal settings nora s. newcombe temple university and...

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Increasing Spatial Learning in Increasing Spatial Learning in Formal and Informal SettingsFormal and Informal Settings

Nora S. NewcombeNora S. NewcombeTemple UniversityTemple University

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Spatial Intelligence Spatial Intelligence and Learning Centerand Learning Center

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OverviewOverview

• Spatial intelligence and learning are important in scientific thought and communication

• Spatial intelligence and learning can be improved• Specific educational techniques to foster spatial

intelligence are within our grasp– Parents and teachers of young children should engage

them in spatial play and talk– Teachers in middle and high school should teach

diagram reading skills

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Importance in Scientific Thought and Importance in Scientific Thought and CommunicationCommunication

Predicting Occupations from High School Spatial AbilityWai, Lubinski & Benbow (2009)

Standardized Score

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New Meta-Analysis Supports New Meta-Analysis Supports MalleabilityMalleability

• Large training effects, as well as durability and transfer– Uttal, Meadow, Hand, Lewis, Warren, & Newcombe, under review

Putting These Two Analyses TogetherPutting These Two Analyses Together

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Focus on Early EducationFocus on Early Education

• Teachers and parents need to know what spatial thinking is, and that it’s important

• Teachers and parents need to avoid spatial anxiety• How should we best enhance spatial learning in children?

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

• Puzzle play • Paper folding • Block play

Spatial Books and PoemsSpatial Books and Poems

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OUT, ABOUT, AND ALL AROUND(A VERY SPATIAL DAY)Julie Dillemuth

My day begins getting UP out of bedDaddy puts ON my clothes, OVER my head.Then DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN all of the stairsTO the kitchen for breakfast - bananas and pears!

ZOOMSzechter & Liben (2004)

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

Pre-assembled Play Free Play Guided Play

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

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Pre-assembled Play

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Session 1

Session 1

Teaching Geometric Teaching Geometric ShapesShapesFisher, Hirsh-Pasek, Newcombe & GolinkoffFisher, Hirsh-Pasek, Newcombe & Golinkoff(under review)(under review)

• Children often see only typical shapes

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

Preschoolers Benefit from Preschoolers Benefit from VisualizationVisualizationJoh, Jaswal & Keen, 2011Joh, Jaswal & Keen, 2011

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

Learning from VisualizationsLearning from Visualizations

• Two strategies– Modify the learner– Modify the learning materials

• Supported by 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 in Science Visual Representations in Science TextbooksTextbooks

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?

• People have difficulty comprehending diagrams accurately– Seductive details (Canham & Hegarty, in press)– Misinterpret features (Faraday & Sutcliffe, 1996)

• Diagram comprehension is affected by– Spatial ability (Florax & Ploetzner, in press)– Working memory (Sanchez & Wiley, 2006)– Topic knowledge (Schwonke et al., in press)– Level of self-explanation (Kastens & Liben, 2007)

Prior ResearchPrior Research

• Developing curriculum for teaching diagrammatic reasoning based on four different interventions– Conventions of diagrams (COD)– Coordinating text and diagrams (CTD)– Self-explanation (SE)– Student-constructed diagrams (SCD)

Can We Teach HS Biology Students to Can We Teach HS Biology Students to Reason Better with Diagrams?Reason Better with Diagrams?

COD: Posttest Diagrammatic COD: Posttest Diagrammatic ReasoningReasoning

•Beginning of year achievement as covariate•Significant time * treatment interaction•d =.8 treatment, .2 control

• Workbook students significantly 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 TrackingChanges in Eye Tracking

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

• We compared Self-Explanation with Student-Completed Figures—Visual and Student-Completed Figures—Verbal

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

• Teacher-delivered in 9th grade biology classes

Self-ExplanationSelf-Explanation

Eu-Squeak-a! If there are four off-spring, there will be one of each combination. But what will the fifth one be like?

Eu-Squeak-a! If there are four off-spring, there will be one of each combination. But what will the fifth one be like?

Student Completed Figures-VerbalStudent Completed Figures-Verbal

Student Completed Figures-VisualStudent Completed Figures-Visual

Results: Biology DiagramsResults: Biology Diagrams

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

Results: Biology KnowledgeResults: Biology Knowledge

d = 0.63* d = 0.04 d = 0.68*

Results: Geoscience DiagramsResults: Geoscience Diagrams

d = 0.37* d ~ 0 d = 0.28*

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Questions?Questions?

Most Spatial Tests Emphasize Intrinsic Most Spatial Tests Emphasize Intrinsic Spatial RelationsSpatial Relations

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