Understanding and Teaching Spatial Competence

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

The focus of the program is on the acquisition of spatial representation and reasoning. The researchers believe that in order to achieve their long-term goal of devising optimal education programs in spatial competence, they must first come to understand the nature of spatial learning and determine the types of experiences that lead to higher achievement in the domain, about which relatively little is known. Their previous research indicates that the development of spatial cognition is highly sensitive to input and thus is malleable. The current project brings together researchers from across cognitive science. They will explore three, presumably interrelated, aspects of spatial intelligence: First, one part of the team will investigate how spatial expertise can be enhanced directly by training the mental processes that operate on spatial representations. Second, another part of the team will investigate how spatial reasoning can be enhanced through maps and language. Third, the remaining part of the team will investigate how spatial reasoning can be enhanced by applying measurement and graphs to quantitative information.