philip j and carol a gersmehl new york center for geographic learning
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Test Scores Associated with Lessons Designed to Engage Spatial Thinking in Kindergarten and First Grade. (and second grade and middle school and . . .). Philip J and Carol A Gersmehl New York Center for Geographic Learning. I am now 25% at the University of Minnesota. I am now - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Test Scores Associated with Test Scores Associated with LessonsLessons
Designed to Engage Spatial Designed to Engage Spatial ThinkingThinking
in Kindergarten and First in Kindergarten and First GradeGrade
Philip J and Carol A GersmehlPhilip J and Carol A GersmehlNew York Center for Geographic LearningNew York Center for Geographic Learning
(and second grade and middle school and . . (and second grade and middle school and . . .).)
I am nowI am now
25% at the University of 25% at the University of MinnesotaMinnesota
I am nowI am now
25% at the University of 25% at the University of MinnesotaMinnesota
The NY Regents asked us to The NY Regents asked us to help start help start
“ “The New York Center The New York Center forfor
Geographic Learning”Geographic Learning”
A 3-step presentation . . . A 3-step presentation . . .
Step 1: Review Recent Step 1: Review Recent Research Research on Spatial Cognition on Spatial Cognition
Step 1: Review Recent Step 1: Review Recent Research Research on Spatial Cognition on Spatial Cognition
1641 articles1641 articles
127 journals127 journals
63 books63 books
Step 1: Review Recent Step 1: Review Recent Research Research on Spatial Cognition on Spatial Cognition
1641 articles1641 articles
127 journals127 journals
63 books63 books
Important contributions come from:Important contributions come from:
- neuroscientists- neuroscientists
- developmental - developmental psychologistspsychologists
- robot engineers- robot engineers
- linguists- linguists
- vision specialists- vision specialists
- architects- architects
- geographers- geographers
. . .. . .
Important contributions come from:Important contributions come from:
- neuroscientists- neuroscientists
- developmental - developmental psychologistspsychologists
- robot engineers- robot engineers
- linguists- linguists
- vision specialists- vision specialists
- architects- architects
- geographers- geographers
. . .. . .
Unfortunately,people in one
discipline are not always
awareof research done
elsewhere.
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
It reflects current knowledge,
and it guides future inquiry.
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
It reflects current knowledge,
and it guides future inquiry.
Is it time to seek consensuson a taxonomy of spatial
thinking?
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
It reflects current knowledge,
and it guides future inquiry.
Is it time to seek consensuson a taxonomy of spatial
thinking?
Of course it’s premature - so what?
Taxonomies are always tentative.
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
It reflects current knowledge,
and it guides future inquiry.
Is it time to seek consensuson a taxonomy of spatial
thinking?
The neuroscience foundation
has become quite strong. (?)
A taxonomyis a really important entity.
It reflects current knowledge,
and it guides future inquiry.
Is it time to seek consensuson a taxonomy of spatial
thinking?
If we don’t do one soon, we’re out of NYCLB – 2.
The human brain has several “regions”The human brain has several “regions”
that do different kinds of spatial thinking.that do different kinds of spatial thinking.
Brain structures for spatial thinkingBrain structures for spatial thinking
develop at a very early age.develop at a very early age.
The human brain has several “regions”The human brain has several “regions”
that do different kinds of spatial thinking.that do different kinds of spatial thinking.
Brain structures for spatial thinkingBrain structures for spatial thinking
develop at a very early age.develop at a very early age.
Skills of verbal, gestural, mathematical, or Skills of verbal, gestural, mathematical, or graphicalgraphical
representation develop more slowly representation develop more slowly (and at least somewhat (and at least somewhat independently).independently).
The human brain has several “regions”The human brain has several “regions”
that do different kinds of spatial thinking.that do different kinds of spatial thinking.
Self-directed mobility is a key variable;Self-directed mobility is a key variable;
sex, diet, language, and handedness also sex, diet, language, and handedness also matter.matter.
Adult intervention can accelerate Adult intervention can accelerate mastery.mastery.
Self-directed mobility is a key variable;Self-directed mobility is a key variable;
sex, diet, language, and handedness also sex, diet, language, and handedness also matter.matter.
Adult intervention can accelerate Adult intervention can accelerate mastery.mastery.
At least some spatial-thinking brain At least some spatial-thinking brain structuresstructures
remain plastic through late middle age. remain plastic through late middle age.
Self-directed mobility is a key variable;Self-directed mobility is a key variable;
sex, diet, language, and handedness also sex, diet, language, and handedness also matter.matter.
Step 2: make a set of lessonsthat dealwith eachmode ofspatial
thinkingindividually.
Step 2: make a set of lessonsthat dealwith eachmode ofspatial
thinkingindividually.
We knowthe taxonomy is tentative.
But is progress ever made by waiting until “the science”
has become unambiguous?
Mosque Mosque >>
Mosque Mosque >>
Marcus Marcus GarveyGarvey
ParkPark
Mosque Mosque >>
Marcus Marcus GarveyGarvey
ParkPark
MLK MLK HousesHouses
Inside,it looks
like a lotof schools
We noticed thateach classroom had
a colorful carpetfor “story time.”
Some of our lessonsuse the rug to teach
basic vocabulary termsfor spatial thinking.
October: “ colorthe flowers in the corners.”
Some of our lessonsuse the rug to teach
basic vocabulary termsfor spatial thinking.
“First, colorthe flowers in the corners.”
December:“Color the flowerthat is between
letters M and O.”
Some of our lessonsuse the rug to teach
basic vocabulary termsfor spatial thinking.
“First, colorthe flowers in the corners.”
Some of our lessonsuse the rug to teach
basic vocabulary termsfor spatial thinking.
February: “Color the flower
that is in the SE corner.”
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
analogies.
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
sequences.
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
hierarchies.
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
hierarchies.
For each lesson, we gave teachers abackground page ...
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
hierarchies.
... a page of plausiblestages of conceptdevelopment . . .
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
hierarchies.
... some maps to extend the
spatial thinking . . .
This buildsa foundationfor the ideaof spatial
hierarchies.
... and some ideasto discuss with
other teachers . . .
A child who writes“the orange plateis in the MIDOL”
has learned the rule.Historic exceptions – “middle” –
can come later.
A child who writes“the orange plateis in the MIDOL”
has learned the rule.Historic exceptions – “middle” –
can come later.
Eurasia is a continent.Eurasia is a continent.It follows the rule:It follows the rule:
““landmass surrounded by ocean.”landmass surrounded by ocean.”
A child who writes“the orange plateis in the MIDOL”
has learned the rule.Historic exceptions – “middle” –
can come later.
Eurasia is a continent.Eurasia is a continent.It follows the rule:It follows the rule:
““landmass surrounded by ocean.”landmass surrounded by ocean.”
Europe is an historic exception.Europe is an historic exception.
We madeGIS mapsof the local
neighborhood. . .
. . . with a
wide rangeof complexity
. . .
. . . drawings
make it seemmore “real”
. . .
. . . but footprintsmade it into“their” map
. . .
Students used this map to preview/reviewa walking field trip
in the neighborhood.
When they returnedto the classroom,their experience became a lesson in language arts.
They also didsome basic
classificationof land uses.
Most teacher/researchers havesome haunting memories of events
that they failed to document properly.
One of mine is of the classroomthat the students transformed into a model of their walking fieldtrip.
They used desks as buildings, and put a green ball on oneto represent the mosque.
It was a nice model, and it clearly showed mastery of the idea of representation!
“Under the hood”of these lessonsis the “taxonomy”
of the modesof spatial thinking.
location
representation
aura (influence)
hierarchy
transition
analogy
association
pattern
region
In a K-12 SchoolIn a K-12 School
Skip K12
527 students:
81 languagesspoken at home
Traditional geography materials (with their heavy emphasis on verbal recall of place-names and trivia facts about places)
have little value in this setting.
We started bymaking mapsof the school
at many scales.
Sixth-gradersused the mapsto help teach
second-gradersabout New York
Third-gradersmapped the
path of the sunacross the floorhour by hour.
Fourth-gradersmade maps
of wheretheir familiescame from.
Fourth-gradersmade maps
of wheretheir familiescame from.
Out of 23“family maps,”
only 3 were of New York.
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
B
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
The Buffalo“Embaymen
t”at the end
of Lake Erie
B
O
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
The Oswego“Embaymen
t”at the end
ofLake
Ontario
B
O
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
R
A square corner
at Rouses Point
on Lake Champlain
B
O
H
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
R
Long Island,
extendingout to theHamptons
B
O
H
The shapeis all wrong,
but key detailsare in place.
R
POrient Point,
the “fish tail”
at the endof the Island
B
O
H
P
R
B
O
H
P
R
B
O
H
P
R
Note: many details are there, in
basicallycorrect relative
position, though the general
shape seems “way
wrong”.
What does this mean for What does this mean for teaching?teaching?
What does this mean for What does this mean for teaching?teaching?
Classroom lessons and displaysClassroom lessons and displays
should be designed to emphasizeshould be designed to emphasize
the kind of landmarks children use the kind of landmarks children use
to build a hierarchical mental map.to build a hierarchical mental map.
Relative location? Individual Relative location? Individual differences ?differences ?
IllustrationIllustration
from thefrom the
NationalNational
GeographyGeography
StandardsStandards
(page 65)(page 65)
This is the kindThis is the kind
of intuitivelyof intuitively
plausible goalplausible goal
that appeals to:that appeals to:
- concerned parents- concerned parents
- overcommitted- overcommitted administrators administrators
- well-intentioned- well-intentioned politicians politicians
This is the kindThis is the kind
of intuitivelyof intuitively
plausible goalplausible goal
that appeals to:that appeals to:
- concerned* parents- concerned* parents
- overcommitted*- overcommitted*
administrators administrators
- well-intentioned*- well-intentioned* politicians politicians
*PC translation:*PC translation:
neuroscientificallyneuroscientificallychallengedchallenged
This is the kindThis is the kind
of intuitivelyof intuitively
plausible goalplausible goal
that appeals to:that appeals to:
- concerned* parents- concerned* parents
- overcommitted*- overcommitted*
administrators administrators
- well-intentioned*- well-intentioned* politicians politicians
*PC translation:*PC translation:
neuroscientificallyneuroscientificallychallengedchallenged
What’s the problem?What’s the problem?
The human brainThe human brain
does not seemdoes not seem
to learn that way!to learn that way!
Step 3: Look at the Test ScoresStep 3: Look at the Test Scores
Language Arts Scores, K1 school:Language Arts Scores, K1 school:
September high September high 50s50s
Language Arts Scores, K1 school:Language Arts Scores, K1 school:
September high September high 50s50s April mid April mid 90s90s
Language Arts Scores, K1 school:Language Arts Scores, K1 school:
September high September high 50s50s April mid April mid 90s 90s (43)(43) averageaverage
Language Arts Scores, K1 school:Language Arts Scores, K1 school:
September high September high 50s50s April mid April mid 90s 90s (43)(43) averageaverage
Composite Scores, K12 school groupComposite Scores, K12 school group
White, Asian / Black, Hispanic White, Asian / Black, Hispanic
81 / 79 81 / 79
Language Arts Scores, K1 school:Language Arts Scores, K1 school:
September high September high 50s50s April mid April mid 90s 90s (43)(43) averageaverage
Composite Scores, K12 school groupComposite Scores, K12 school group
White, Asian / Black, Hispanic White, Asian / Black, Hispanic
81 / 7981 / 79 (53) / (37)(53) / (37)
ConclusionConclusionWe made lessons based on ideas We made lessons based on ideas from recent research on spatial from recent research on spatial
cognition.cognition.
ConclusionConclusionWe made lessons based on ideasWe made lessons based on ideasfrom recent research on spatial from recent research on spatial
cognition.cognition.
Reading and math scores went WAY Reading and math scores went WAY up.up.
ConclusionConclusionWe made lessons based on ideas We made lessons based on ideas from recent research on spatial from recent research on spatial
cognition.cognition.
Reading and math scores went WAY Reading and math scores went WAY up.up.
Scientific integrity forbids any claim Scientific integrity forbids any claim of a strong cause-and-effect of a strong cause-and-effect
relationship.relationship.
ConclusionConclusionWe made lessons based on ideasWe made lessons based on ideasfrom recent research on spatial from recent research on spatial
cognition.cognition.
Reading and math scores went WAY Reading and math scores went WAY up.up.
Scientific integrity forbids any claim Scientific integrity forbids any claim of a strong cause-and-effect of a strong cause-and-effect
relationship.relationship.
We We cancan claim to have obeyed claim to have obeyed Hippocrates: Hippocrates:
first of all, do no harm!first of all, do no harm!
ConclusionConclusion
There is no credible evidenceThere is no credible evidencethat devoting considerable class that devoting considerable class
timetimeto geography lessons in primary to geography lessons in primary
schoolschool has harmed reading and math has harmed reading and math
scores.scores.
Educational activities and Educational activities and assessmentsassessments
should build on modern knowledgeshould build on modern knowledgeabout human cognitive development.about human cognitive development.
Real ConclusionReal Conclusion
cheap - quick - goodcheap - quick - good
Pick two,because youcan’t have all
three!
