Skip to main content

Development of Spatial Ability: Results from the Research Project GeodiKon

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
International Perspectives on the Teaching and Learning of Geometry in Secondary Schools

Part of the book series: ICME-13 Monographs ((ICME13Mo))

Abstract

This chapter discusses results from GeodiKon, a research project that analyzed the spatial ability of 903 students with the aim to find out whether or not training in each factor of spatial ability and its repertoire of strategies to solve spatial tasks would lead to an improvement in an individual’s spatial ability . The chapter focuses on the findings regarding the use of the different strategies , the promising strategies for solving spatial tasks , gender -specific results, the results of the Spatial Orientation Test (SOT), and the connection between the individual’s sport/leisurely time activities and spatial ability . Finally, the chapter offers suggestions for mathematics and geometry education based on its findings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barratt, B. S. (1953). An analysis of verbal reports of solving problems as an aid in defining spatial factors. The Journal of Psychology, 36(1), 17–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, G. K., Seashore, H. G., & Wesman, A. G. (1973). Differential aptitude tests, forms S and T. New York: The Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, J. B. (1993). Human cognitive abilities. A survey of factor-analytical studies. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Duenser, A. (2005). Trainierbarkeit der Raumvorstellung mit Augmented reality (Dissertation). University of Vienna, Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • French, J. W. (1951). The description of aptitude and achievement tests in terms of rotated factors. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gittler, G. (1984). Entwicklung und Erprobung eines neuen Testinstruments zur Messung des räumlichen Vorstellungsvermögens. Zeitschrift für Differentielle und Diagnostische Psychologie, 2, 141–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gittler, G., & Glueck, J. (1998). Differential transfer of learning: Effects of instruction in descriptive geometry on spatial test performance. Journal for Geometry and Graphics, 2, 71–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glück, J., & Vitouch, O. (2008). Psychologie [Psychology: Spatial cognition]. In S. Guenzel (Ed.) Raumwissenschaften (pp. 325–326). Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Suhrkamp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glueck, J., Kaufmann, H., Duenser, A., & Steinbuegl, K. (2005). Geometrie und Raumvorstellung – Psychologische Perspektiven. Informationsblätter der Geometrie (IBDG), 24(1), 4–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruessing, M. (2002). Wieviel Raumvorstellung braucht man für Raumvorstellungsaufgaben? Strategien von Grundschulkindern bei der Bewältigung räumlich-geometrischer Anforderungen. ZDM Mathematics Education, 34(2), 37–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilford, J. P. (1956). The structure of intellect. Psychological Bulletin, 53(4), 267–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty, M., & Waller, D. (2004). A dissociation between mental rotation and perspective-taking spatial abilities. Intelligence, 32, 175–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Just, M. A., & Carpenter, P. A. (1985). Cognitive coordinate systems: Accounts of mental rotation and individual differences in spatial ability. Psychological Review, 92, 137–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufmann, H. (2008). Lösung- und Bearbeitungsstrategien bei Raumvorstellungsaufgaben. Raumgeometrie – intuitive und konstruktiv. Salzburg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozhevnikov, M., & Hegarty, M. (2001). A dissociation between object-manipulation spatial ability and spatial orientation abilities. Memory and Cognition, 29, 745–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linn, M. C., & Petersen, A. C. (1985). Emergence and characterization of sex differences on spatial ability: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 56, 1479–1498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lohman, D. F. (1979). Spatial abilities: A review and re-analysis of the correlational literature (Technical Report No. 8). Aptitude Research Project. Stanford, CA: Stanford University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lohman, D. F. (1988). Spatial abilities as traits, processes, and knowledge. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Advances in the psychology of human intelligence (Vol. 40, pp. 181–248). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maier, H. P. (1994). Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen: Komponenten, geschlechtsspezifische Differenzen, Relevanz, Entwicklung und Realisierung in der Realschule. Europaeische Hochschulschriften, Series 6, Psychologie, Vol. 493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G. (2014a). Strategies for assessing spatial ability tasks. Journal for Geometry and Graphics., 18(1), 125–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G. (2014b). Spatial ability—The phases of spatial ability research. Journal for Geometry and Graphics, 17(2), 237–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G. (2015). How to develop spatial ability? Factors, strategies, and gender specific findings. Journal for Geometry and Graphics, 19(1), 133–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G. (2016). A suggestion for a differentiated presentation and feedback method (DIAM) for the spatial orientation test (SOT). Journal for Geometry and Graphics, 20(1), 91–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G., Mueller, Th, & Scheiber, K. (Eds.). (2016). GeodiKon. Die Lernmaterialien. Praktische Raumvorstellungsübungen für den Geometrie- und Mathematikunterricht mit Lösungen (2nd ed.). Innsbruck: Studienverlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maresch, G., & Scheiber, K. (Eds.). (2017). Practical and structured exercises to train geometry and your spatial ability. Raleigh, NC, USA: Lulu Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGee, M. G. (1979). Human spatial abilities: Psychometric studies and environmental, genetic, hormonal and neurological influences. Psychological Bulletin, 86(5), 889–918.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newcombe, N. S., Mathason, L., & Terlecki, M. (2002). Maximization of spatial competence: More important than finding the cause of sex differences. In A. McGillicudy-De Lisi & A. De Lisi (Eds.), Biology, society, and behavior: The development of sex differences in cognition (pp. 183–206). Westport, CT: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, M., Laeng, B., Latham, K., Jackson, M., Zaiyouna, R., & Richardson, C. (1995). A redrawn Vandenberg & Kuse mental rotations test: Different versions and factors that affect performance. Brain and Cognition, 28, 39–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rost, D. H. (1977). Raumvorstellung. Psychologische und paedagogische Aspekte. Weinheim: Beltz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz, K. (1991). The contribution of solution strategy to spatial performance. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 45(4), 474–491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souvignier, E. (2000). Foerderung raeumlicher Faehigkeiten - Trainingsstudien mit lernbeeintraechtigten Schuelern. Muenster, Germany: Waxmann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Svecnik, E. (2014). GeodiKon Posttest - Ergebnisse der Datenanalysen. Graz: Statistische Gesamtauswertung des Projekts GeodiKon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thurstone, L. L. (1950). Some primary abilities in visual thinking. Psychometric Laboratory Research Report, 59. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thurstone, L. L., (1955). The differential growth of mental abilities. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Psychometric Laboratory.

    Google Scholar 

  • Titze, C., Heil, M., & Jansen, P. (2008). Gender differences in the mental rotations test (MRT) are not due to task complexity. Journal of Individual Differences, 29(3), 130–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guenter Maresch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Maresch, G. (2018). Development of Spatial Ability: Results from the Research Project GeodiKon. In: Herbst, P., Cheah, U., Richard, P., Jones, K. (eds) International Perspectives on the Teaching and Learning of Geometry in Secondary Schools. ICME-13 Monographs. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77476-3_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77476-3_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-77475-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-77476-3

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics