This study investigates the way a kindergarten teacher implemented a three-stage project to support children's map understanding. The project, the Map and Play, was designed to help children understand the relationship between reality and its abstract representation. The guided play was adopted as the pedagogical approach because it empowers…

Spatial ability is a form of intelligence where a person demonstrates the capacity to mentally generate, transform, and rotate a visual image and thus understand and recall spatial relationships between real and imagined objects. The aim of this paper is three-fold: (1) to review related empirical studies on spatial abilities for young children…

We developed and tested different pedagogical treatments using an Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox to teach introductory geoscience students about reading topographic maps at five institutions in both pilot and full implementation studies. The AR Sandbox treatments were characterized as 1) unstructured play, 2) a semi-structured lesson, and 3) a…

Map skills are included in the curriculum of different courses in basic education and secondary education, although they are more involved in the Social Sciences Curriculum (SSC) and Geography Curriculum (GC). Based on this situation, the research aimed at a comparative examination of the mapping skills included in the SSC and GC, which were…

Giant maps offer a potentially useful pedagogical tool for teaching mathematics and map skills. In this pilot study, giant maps were distributed to elementary schools in Colorado and New Hampshire and teachers were provided with guided activities designed to integrate mathematics and geography skills. In an assessment of student skills, it was…

Teaching high-school geomorphological concepts and topographic map reading entails many challenges. This research reports the applicability and effectiveness of Google Earth in teaching topographic map skills and geomorphological concepts, by a single teacher, in a one-computer classroom. Compared to learning via a conventional instructional…

Intersectionality is a complex concept to deal with when doing research but also when teaching the interrelationships between space and social relations. Here we present "Relief Maps" as a visual tool for teaching intersectionality and its spatial dimension in higher education courses. "Relief Maps" are a model developed for…

This study explores the effects of geographic information systems (GIS) curriculum on fifth-grade students' spatial ability and map-analysis skills. A total of 174 students from an urban public school district and their teachers participated in a quasi-experimental design study. Four teachers implemented a GIS curriculum in experimental classes…

This study compared learning performance during and following AR and non-AR topographic map instruction and practice Two-way ANOVA testing indicated no significant differences on a posttest assessment between map type and spatial ability. Prior learning activity results revealed a significant performance difference between AR and non-AR treatment…

This study considers the role and nature of co-thought gestures when students process map-based mathematics tasks. These gestures are typically spontaneously produced silent gestures which do not accompany speech and are represented by small movements of the hands or arms often directed toward an artefact. The study analysed 43 students (aged…

Spatial thinking is often challenging for introductory geology students. A pilot study using the Augmented Reality sandbox (AR sandbox) suggests it can be a powerful tool for bridging the gap between two-dimensional (2D) representations and real landscapes, as well as enhancing the spatial thinking and modeling abilities of students. The AR…

Teaching skills is one of the building blocks of Turkey's Social Studies Instructional Program. Via skills, information can be effectively transformed into high-level behaviors, that information may become a part of one's daily life, and that one may make right decisions concerning major issues in his/her life. Map skills are called "spatial…

While maps and globes continue to be an important part of the geography and social studies curricula, there has been some debate about the ability of young children to engage in maps in a meaningful way. Some researchers have argued that children younger than seven do not have the spatial-cognitive abilities to truly understand the perspective and…

Certain secondary school subjects, such as geography, contain topics which are based on mathematical concepts. However, some geography teachers either fail to recognize this connection or choose to ignore it when they teach. Instead, they present the subject matter as a collection of facts, which need to be memorized and reproduced by the pupils.…

Children's cognitive skills change substantially from the time they enter school at about the age of five to when they graduate from high school a dozen years later. Some changes can be attributed to the school curriculum, but others are part of children's developmental evolution as they mature and interact with the world. Rather than reviewing…