This Study was conducted to determine if women in the sciences were as accurate in spatial abilities as male counterparts. An experiment was also conducted to find if an intervention would improve the visuo-spatial awareness of women as rapidly as men. Data indicated that while women tended to start at a lower level, they were able to learn…

Describes a simple activity using modeling clay to help biology students better understand the relationships between longitudinal, serial or cross-sections, and the entire structure from which the sections were made. (Author/SK)

Investigated 11 to 15 year olds' abilities to understand three-dimensional structures (including sectional views of eggs, cells, stems, and fish) studies in biology. Results indicate two skills needed for success: abstracting sectional shapes and appreciating spatial relationships of internal parts. Gives examples of students "talking…

Explains an investigation which examined Nigerian students' (N=200) ability to respond to depth cues and to visualize the effects of rotations. Study results indicated that performance on cues tests correlated significantly with performance on rotation tests suggesting that cues influence students' ability to visualize the effects of performing…

Investigated secondary-level students' (N=66) understanding of three-dimensional structures in biology. Results suggest that student performance is highly correlated with age, scientific ability, and sex. Suggestions for instructional improvement in spatial relationships are offered. (ML)

Upholds the importance and need for including visuo-spatial skill exercises in science lessons. Provides suggestions for improving students' visualization skills and reviews the approaches that have been successful with students who were poor in visual skills. (ML)

Describes three microcomputer programs that allow geology students to deform two-dimensional images on a computer screen and then to measure changes in angular relationships. Two of the programs simulate pure and simple shear and the third simulates variations in shear strain that occur in shear zones. (ML)

Science is suggested as an excellent content area for teaching primary students the creative and critical thinking skills that can help them become better problem solvers. J. P. Guilford's Structure of Intellect model and Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives serve as the basis for developing exercises which lead to improvement of…

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the possible relationships among children's extracurricular toy-playing habits, sex-role orientations, spatial abilities, and science achievement. Data were gathered from 282 Midwestern, suburban, fifth-grade students. It was found that boys had significantly higher spatial skills than girls.…

Reports on a study in which two spatial tests were given to science and engineering majors and to students in nursing and agriculture at Purdue University (Indiana). Scores from the tests consistently contributed a small but significant amount of success on measures of performance in chemistry. (TW)

This study was designed to determine if the final grade in college biology at a suburban community college was a true measure of student's knowledge. One hundred and seventy undergraduates taking a semester course in biology took part in the study. This population was randomly separated into a control, placebo, and experimental group. The progress…

Reports on a study which examined the relationship between spatial ability and performance in organic chemistry. Results indicated that students with high spatial scores did significantly better on questions requiring problem solving skills, as well as on those requiring the mental manipulation of two-dimensional representations of a molecule. (TW)

Discusses the gender differences revealed on the science content items of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Science Assessment. Examines explanations for the differences, including differential prior instruction, differential response to uncertainty, differential response to figurally presented items, and different attitudes toward…

Examines the hypothesis that there are preliminary stages in problem solving that are often neglected in teaching chemistry. Discusses correlations calculated between the student's ability to handle disembedding and cognitive restructuring tasks in the spatial domain and ability to solve chemistry problems. (TW)

Reports on a study which investigated the order of acquisition of intuitive notions of qualitative speed. Results indicated that an array of prerequisites, equivalent, and independent relationships existed among the tasks administered. Confirmed the evolution of reasoning for notions of qualitative speed found by Piaget. (Author/TW)