Spatial relations in American Sign Language (ASL) are often signed from the perspective of the signer and so involve a shift in perspective and mental rotation. This study examined developing knowledge of language used to refer to the spatial relations "front," "behind," "left," "right," "towards," "away," "above," and "below" by children learning…

In many literacy classrooms, students engage in public performances in which they use various texts, movements of their bodies, and verbal interactions. How do we interpret such events? In this article, we critique a representational mode of interpretation and describe an alternate mode. We argue that literacy performances are often about creating…

Difficulties in students' understanding of the spherical model of the Earth have been shown in previous studies. One of the reasons for these difficulties lies in beliefs and preliminary knowledge that hinder the interpretation of the scientific knowledge, the other reason may lie in the low level of verbal and visuo-spatial abilities. The study…

In this paper, the authors evaluate map overlay, a concept central to geospatial thinking, to determine how it is naively and technically understood, as well as to identify when it is leaner innately. The evaluation is supported by results from studies at three grade levels to show the progression of incidentally learned geospatial knowledge as…

The purpose of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) figural-response project was to design a prototype computer assessment system for delivering and scoring figural-response items in the domain of cell and molecular biology and to begin to investigate properties of the item format. This report describes progress to date in an effort that is…

This paper illustrates and explains the relationship between drawing ability and spatial and visual-perceptual ability; it defines those terms and explores their connection to intelligence and information processing as well as their potential implications for education and training. Discussion covers results of recent studies, which suggest that…

The purpose of this in-progress study is to try to find commonalities between visual proficiency and artistic performance. In order to assess visual proficiency, a test of spatial ability is being developed and pilot tested. Student performance on the test will be recorded and examined in relation to two traditional measures of student art…

Ten diagrams and step-by-step instructions for an art activity in which middle school students practice drawing in perspective are provided. Students practice basic rules of perspective such as (1) determining the horizon line or disappearing point, (2) drawing parallel lines and drawing above and below eye level. A brief test of teacher…

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,…

This study investigated the development of abstract mathematical thought and spatial relations of 13- and 14-year-old students who attended public schools in Australia, Japan, and the United States. Dependent variables included age, ability grouping, ethnicity, sex, mathematics attitudes, and mathematics classroom behaviors. Significant…

This paper discusses the results of two studies both dealing with spatial abilities and training. The first investigated the kinds of spatial strategies and personal experiences, both nonacademic and academic, that distinguish students preparing for high spatial careers from others. The second study focused on the effectiveness of spatial training…

A study was made to investigate the hypothesis that the ability to determine, on a map, where one is located and in which direction one is headed, requires an understanding of the ways in which views change from different locations and orientations. Approximately 200 kindergarten through second-grade children were first tested individually for…

A total of 60 children, 20 preschoolers, 20 first-graders, and 20 third-graders, participated in a game involving communication of spatial information. Subjects gave verbal directions to help another person find a hidden object, in this case, a small toy hidden under one of a number of cups. Two experimental conditions were set up, the first…

Research on hemispheric mode functioning indicates that some connections exist between learning disabilities (LD) and right-mode dominance, which suggests that instruction should be offered to develop right hemispheric (spatial perception) abilities in LD persons. The influence on student drawing of the right-left hemispheric shift during reading…

This report presents the results of a study designed to evaluate the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation's (JOCRF's) measurement of structural visualization. Three experimental tests--the Incomplete Open Cubes Test, the Guilford-Zimmerman Spatial Visualization Test, and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices--were added to the JOCRF's test battery…