spatial ability, visual representations, and earth science achievement

Spatial Ability, Visual Representations, and Earth Science Achievement

Nicole D. LaDue D. Zach HambrickNorthern Illinois Michigan State University University

Visuals in the Geosciences

2. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/syncline.gif3. http://www.platetectonics.com/book/images/Subduction2.gif4.. http://www.nvcc.edu/home/cbentley/shenandoah/app_orogeny.jpg

1. Earth Science References Tables, NYSED

3

Spatial Thinking & Geoscience

Spatial Thinking is “the process of problem solving via the coordinated use of space, representation, and reasoning” (NRC, 2006)

4

Spatial Thinking is “the process of problem solving via the coordinated use of space, representation, and reasoning” (NRC, 2006)

Spatial Thinking & Geoscience

5

Spatial Thinking is “the process of problem solving via the coordinated use of space, representation, and reasoning” (NRC, 2006)

Spatial Thinking & Geoscience

6

Spatial Thinking vs Spatial Ability

(Lohman, 1993; McGrew, 2009)

Uttal et al., 2012; Hegarty & Waller, 2005

Ability •An aspect of “g”•Domain-general•Apprehending, encoding, and mentally manipulating three-dimensional forms

Thinking / Skills•Domain-specific•Problem – solving with space, representation, and reasoning

7

Spatial Ability and STEM Education

Shea et al., 2001; Wai et al., 2009

Spatial Ability STEM Careers

Research Question #1 E

art

h S

cien

ce A

chie

vem

en

t

Spatial Ability

Research Question #2

Earth Science Achievement

165,000 students annually

9th Graders

Publicly available June 2007 Earth Science Regents Exam, NYSED

SAMPLE QUESTION WITH VISUAL

New York State Earth Science Regents Exam

11

Three Types of Items

TEXT

12

Three Types of Items

NOVEL VISUALS

13

Three Types of Items

TRAINED VISUALS

14

Three Types of Items

TRAINED VISUALS

15

PopulationPublic High Schools

1 rural / 1 suburban

74% white

144 Students (75 male)

9th Grade (m=14.6 years)

16

Spatial Ability & Sex

Spatial Ability

MALES

FEMALES

Linn & Petersen, 1985; Hamilton, 1998; Sorby & Baartmans, 2000

Sex Differences

17

Spatial Ability

MALES

FEMALESMALES

FEMALES

Linn & Petersen, 1985; Halpern et al., 2007

Spatial Ability & Sex

Sex Differences

Males

FEMALES

Reading Comprehension

MALES

18

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

Categorizing Test Items8 Categories

Text Only

Text w/ ESRT

Stem Graphic

Stem Graphic w/ESRT

Answer Graphic

Answer Graphic w/ ESRT

Stem + Answer Graphic

Stem + Answer Graphic w/ ESRT

3 Categories

Text Only

ESRT - TRAINED VISUALS

Graphic – NOVEL VISUALS

Two-way Effects Model with Absolute Agreement ICC = .844

20

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

21

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

22

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

NYS 8th Grade English Language Arts Exam

23

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

NYS 8th Grade English Language Arts Exam

NYS 8th Grade Science Exam

24

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

NYS 8th Grade English Language Arts Exam

NYS 8th Grade Science Exam

June 2012

25

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

3 Spatial Tests

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

20 ES Regents Questions

26

NYSEarth

Science Regents Exam

TEXT-ONLY QUESTIONS (T)

NOVEL VISUAL QUESTIONS (V)

SPATIAL ABILITY

READING COMPREHENSION

SEX TRAINED VISUALQUESTIONS (RT)

Study Variables

MOTIVATION

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

3 Spatial Tests

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

20 ES Regents Questions

Collected Fall 2011

50 minute class period

Example Spatial Tests

Paper FoldingEkstrom et al., 1976

Mental RotationVandenberg, et al. 1978;

Object PerspectiveHegarty & Waller, 2004

Spatial vs. Reading

Spatial Composite Score

Read

ing

Com

pre

hen

sion

-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

Males

Females

Spatial vs. Reading

Spatial Composite Score

Read

ing

Com

pre

hen

sion

-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

Males

Females

Males outperformed Females on Spatial

t(142) = 4.10, p<.001 Females outperformed Males on

Reading t(142) = -2.66, p<.001

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Females display higher reading

ability

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316**

.205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Males display higher spatial

ability

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Spatial and Reading correlate

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514**

-

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405** .801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392** .934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564** .957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

Correlations

1. Sex 2. Reading 3. Spatial 4. Regents-All

1. Sex -

2. Reading .205* -

3. Spatial -.316** .205* -

4. Regents -.185* .562** .514** -

5. Text-Only ns .545** .405**

.801**

6. Trained Visual ns .516** .392**

.934**

7. Novel Visual -.226** .516** .564**

.957**

N=145; * p < .05; ** p < .01 (2-tailed)

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AnalysisOverall Performance on the Regents Earth Science Exam

Multiple Linear Regression

B SE (B)

β t p

Sex -3.60 1.40 -.15 -2.56 .011

Motivation .13 .11 .06 1.12 .264

Prior Science Knowledge

.61 .11 .39 5.83 <.001

Prior Earth Sci Knowledge

1.44 .46 .21 3.14 .002

Reading 2.96 .83 .23 3.59 <.001

Spatial 2.80 1.00 .16 2.79 .006

R2 = .66, p < .001

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Path Analysis

Regents

39

Path Analysis

Text

Trained

Novel

40

Results

Reading Spatial Text Trained Visual

Novel Visual

OverallRegents

Sex ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔Reading -- -- ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔Spatial -- -- ✔* X ✔ ✔* p < .05, all others p < .01

Significant Direct Effects for Path Analysis

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Results

Reading Spatial Text Trained Visual

Novel Visual

Overall Regents

Sex ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔Reading -- -- ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔Spatial -- -- ✔* X ✔ ✔

Significant Direct Effects for Path Analysis

* p < .05, all others p < .01

ConclusionResearch Question #1:

Is spatial ability associated with earth science achievement?

ConclusionResearch Question #1:

Is spatial ability associated with earth science achievement? YES

ConclusionResearch Question #1:

Is spatial ability associated with earth science achievement?

Research Question #2:

Is there a relationship between visual representations, spatial ability, and earth science achievement?

YES

ConclusionResearch Question #1:

Is spatial ability associated with earth science achievement?

Research Question #2:

Is there a relationship between visual representations, spatial ability, and earth science achievement?

YES

YES: Spatial ability is related to novel visuals, but not trained

visuals.

Training Spatial Skills

N=67

Experts

Novices

N=67 Undergrad, Grad, Prof

Spatial AbilityKnowledge

Field Mapping TaskHambrick, Libarkin, Petcovic, Baker, Elkins, Callahan, Turner, Rench & LaDue, 2012, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

Training Spatial Skills

Expert chemists Analytical strategiesNovice chemistry students Spatial strategies

Low spatial chemistry students Analytical Strategies

Stieff, 2007; Stieff & Raje, 2010; Stieff, Ryu, Dixon, Hegarty, 2012

48

Next Steps

Strategy Studies

- Analytical vs Spatial strategies

Training Studies

- Interventions to improve spatial reasoning

AcknowledgementsGeocognitionResearchLab

Julie Libarkin, Advisor

D. Zach Hambrick

Steve Kluge, Ret. New York Teacher

Participating Teachers, Students, and Administrators

Funding The Graduate

SchoolGraduate Student Research Grant

Contact Me

Nicole D. LaDue, PhD

Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Center for Secondary Science and Mathematics Education

Northern Illinois University

DeKalb, Illinois 60115

(815)753-7935

nladue@niu.edu

InstrumentsAssessment/Survey Citation

Spatial Ability:Paper-foldingMental RotationPerspective-taking

Ekstrom et al., 1976,Vandenberg, et al. 1978;Hegarty & Waller, 2004

Reading Comprehension:8th Grade ELA NYS exam NYSED, 2012

Motivation:Science Motivation Questionnaire (modified)

Glynn & Koballa, 2005

Prior Science Knowledge:8th Grade Science NYS exam20 question ES Regents Test

NYSED, 2012NYSED 2011

Example Spatial Tests

Paper Folding Test (Ekstrom et al., 1976)

Example Spatial Tests

Paper Folding Test (Ekstrom et al., 1976)

Example Spatial Tests

Ekstrom et al., 1976, Vandenberg, et al. 1978; Hegarty & Waller, 2004

Example Spatial Tests

Ekstrom et al., 1976, Vandenberg, et al. 1978; Hegarty & Waller, 2004

Example Spatial Tests

Ekstrom et al., 1976, Vandenberg, et al. 1978; Hegarty & Waller, 2004

Example Spatial Tests

Ekstrom et al., 1976, Vandenberg, et al. 1978; Hegarty & Waller, 2004