Characterizing and Improving Spatial Visualization Skills

Three-dimensional spatial visualization is an essential skill for geoscientists. We conducted two evaluations of students' spatial skills to examine whether their skills improve after enrollment in a geology course or courses. First, we present results of pre- and post-course survey of abstract...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of geoscience education Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 242 - 254
Main Authors: Titus, Sarah, Horsman, Eric
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Bellingham Taylor & Francis Ltd 01.09.2009
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Subjects:
College Students
Correlation
Gender Differences
Geology
Grades (Scholastic)
Pretests Posttests
Qualitative Research
Quantitative research
Scores
Skill Development
Spatial Ability
Statistical Analysis
Structural geology
Student Surveys
Students
Thinking Skills
Visualization
Minnesota
Wisconsin
ISSN:1089-9995, 2158-1428
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Three-dimensional spatial visualization is an essential skill for geoscientists. We conducted two evaluations of students' spatial skills to examine whether their skills improve after enrollment in a geology course or courses. First, we present results of pre- and post-course survey of abstract visualization skills used to characterize the range of spatial abilities in the student population at Carleton College. In Introductory Geology, there was a correlation between those who score very poorly on the spatial survey and those who receive a grade of C or lower. Students in higher-level courses had better developed visualization skills than those in Introductory Geology. Gender differences disappeared in upper-level courses except for the spatial relations (mental rotation) task, where male students consistently outperformed females. Second, we describe the efficacy of instructional materials designed for a Structural Geology course at the University of Wisconsin. This study included a qualitative controlled experiment investigating whether frequent use of stereographic projections affected student performance on exam questions requiring spatial skills. The results of both the survey-based quantitative study and materials-based qualitative study suggest that students' spatial abilities can improve through practice provided in geology courses.
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ISSN:1089-9995
2158-1428
DOI:10.5408/1.3559671