Reviews the development of spatial organization in children with blindness. Discusses the importance of motor exploration, tactual development, and spatial representation as critical factors in developing spatial and cognitive organizations of their surroundings. Suggests seven specific activities to improve spatial organization in blind children.…

The acquisition of spatial terms in the language development of young children is examined. Two primary theories of word meaning and concept acquisition are reviewed, followed by a summary of current developmental research on spatial terms and factors influencing acquisition. Finally, guidelines for the assessment and teaching of spatial terms are…

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)

Demonstrates how three- and four-year-old children's (N=20) learning of a completely novel route across a city district is enhanced by an accompanying adult making the child aware of potential landmarks. The importance of permanent/ephemeral landmarks in the child's verbal and modelled-map accounts of the route and educational implications are…

Some geometric activities are described that teachers can use to give their students experiences that will influence their spatial abilities. It is noted that the goal is to improve spatial abilities, not to increase knowledge, so individual pupil responses should not be used to judge student achievement. (MP)

Intended for the preschool teacher wishing to implement a cognitively oriented curriculum, this instructional guide focuses on the problem-solving approach (as opposed to the teacher-directed approach) to student learning. Each chapter provides space for teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate lessons. Activities in the guide are participatory,…

Uses manipulative materials to build and examine geometric models that simulate the self-similarity properties of fractals. Examples are discussed in two dimensions, three dimensions, and the fractal dimension. Discusses how models can be misleading. (Contains 10 references.) (MDH)

Young children with low vision tend to experience delays in cognitive development, motor development, and social skills because of insufficient motivation and opportunities to explore their environments actively. This literature review explores the resulting difficulties in acquiring practical knowledge and spatial/environmental concepts,…

The papers in this monograph were presented at the first annual conference on theories and research related to learning styles, hemisphericity, and other cognitive-related issues in education. They include: (1) "The Microcomputer and Learning Theory" (Carl Edeburn); (2) "Poems Take Two Brains (or: Poetry Ain't for Halfwits)" (Jack Kreitzer); (3)…

Described are the results of a spatial skills test designed to assess processing from 2-D to 3-D, 3-D to 2-D, and orientation. Results indicated that different aspects of spatial ability did not develop at the same rate, and the 3-D to 2-D skill took the longest to develop. (CW)

Abstracts of 11 mathematics education research studies are provided. Each abstract is accompanied by the abstractor's analysis of or comments about the study. Studies reported include: "The Importance of Spatial Visualization and Cognitive Development for Geometry Learning in Preservice Elementary Teachers"; "Classroom Ratio of High…

Proposed is a hierarchy of visual learning giving three primary stages of visual learning as well as seven hierarchical stages. A clarification of terms associated with visual learning is presented. (KR)

Reviews research about young childrens' focusing on the ability to transform a perceived scene into another representation. Reports on a study of 109 children and 18 college-age students on their ability to mold a lump of clay into a three-dimensional figure. Finds that cognitive maturity alone does not automatically lead to competence. (CFR)

This is volume 4 of the series of translations of books from the Soviet literature on research in the psychology of mathematics instruction and on teaching methods influenced by the research. The introduction to this English language translation highlights the fact that significant advances have been made in the understanding of both the…

Responds to Claire Golumb's research on the cognitive development of young children's ability to create representations of reality using visual arts. Asserts that young children must find acceptable pictorial substitutes when producing representations. (CFR)