Individual differences in mental animation during mechanical reasoning.

Students’ spatial visualization ability is a key component in understanding geometry, yet many students exhibit suboptimal performance in this area. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the quality of the Geogebra-assisted 6E-IM learning model, (2) examine its effect on students' spatial visualization ability, and (3) describe students' ability levels after receiving the intervention. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. The independent variable was the Geogebra-assisted 6E-IM model, while the dependent variable was students’ spatial visualization ability. A total of 60 students participated, with 30 assigned to the experimental group and 30 to the control group. Data were collected through tests, interviews, and questionnaires. Quantitative results showed that students in the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group (p < 0.05), indicating a positive effect of the Geogebra-assisted 6E-IM model on spatial visualization ability. Qualitative analysis revealed that students with high ability met all spatial visualization indicators; those with moderate ability met two indicators, while those with low ability met only one. These findings demonstrate that the integration of Geogebra in the 6E-IM learning model can effectively enhance students’ spatial visualization skills in geometry. This study contributes to the development of innovative, technology-integrated instructional strategies in mathematics education.

Learning in anatomy can be both spatially and visually complex. Pedagogical investigations have begun exploration as to how spatial ability may mitigate learning. Emerging hypotheses suggests individuals with higher spatial reasoning may attend to images differently than those who are lacking. To elucidate attentional patterns associated with different spatial ability, eye movements were measured in individuals completing a timed electronic mental rotation test (EMRT). The EMRT was based on the line drawings of Shepherd and Metzler. Individuals deduced whether image pairs were rotations (same) or mirror images (different). It was hypothesized that individuals with high spatial ability (HSA) would demonstrate shorter average fixation durations during problem solving and attend to different features of the EMRT than low spatial ability (LSA) counterparts. Moreover, question response accuracy would be associated with fewer fixations and shorter average response times, regardless of spatial reasoning ability. Average fixation duration in the HSA group was shorter than LSA (F(1,8) = 7.99; P = 0.022). Importantly, HSA and LSA individuals looked to different regions of the EMRT images (Fisher Exact Test: 12.47; P = 0.018); attending to the same locations only 34% of the time. Correctly answered questions were characterized by fewer fixations per question (F(1, 8) = 18.12; P = 0.003) and shorter average response times (F(1, 8) = 23.89; P = 0.001). The results indicate that spatial ability may influence visual attention to salient areas of images and this may be key to problem solving processes for low spatial individuals. Anat Sci Educ 10: 224-234. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

This study investigated prospective social studies teachers’ spatial abilities. It was conducted with 234 prospective teachers attending Social Studies Teaching departments at Education Faculties of two universities in Central and Southern Anatolia. This study, designed according to the explanatory-sequential design, is a mixed research method, involving two stages. The first stage was conducted in the causal-comparative research design. The data were collected using “Mental Rotation Test” and “Surface Development Test”. Descriptive statistics, MANOVA and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The second stage was designed as a case study. “Opinion Form for Spatial Ability Tests” was used to elicit the views of 37 prospective teachers (F:20, M:17) identified via the purposive sampling method. The qualitative data obtained were analyzed using the content analysis technique. The study results showed that spatial visualization and mental rotation abilities of the prospective teachers were low; male prospective teachers were betterqualified than female ones in mental rotation but spatial visualization ability did not vary by gender. Moreover, prospective teachers with higher academic averages had better spatial abilities. Integrating virtual environment applications such as Google Earth etc. into social studies courses and using them in these courses can help to improve prospective teachers’ spatial abilities.

Spatial ability is discussed in terms of psychometric factors and information processing research. Reanalysis of major psychometric studies suggests two major spatial factors — spatial relations and spatial visualization ability. Apparent differences between these factors in speed versus power and cognitive complexity are verified by process analyses of individual differences in spatial relations and visualization ability. Information processing studies suggest multiple sources of individual differences such as process execution speed, quality and capacity of representation, process coordination and strategies for problem solution. Consideration is also given to additional issues for research as well as implications for testing.

In the realm of virtual reality (VR) research, the synergy of methodological advancements, technical innovation, and novel applications is paramount. Our work encapsulates these facets in the context of spatial ability assessments conducted within a VR environment. This paper presents a comprehensive and integrated framework of VR, eye-tracking, and electroencephalography (EEG), which seamlessly combines measuring participants’ behavioral performance and simultaneously collecting time-stamped eye tracking and EEG data to enable understanding how spatial ability is impacted in certain conditions and if such conditions demand increased attention and mental allocation. This framework encompasses the measurement of participants’ gaze pattern (e.g., fixation and saccades), EEG data (e.g., Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Theta wave patterns), and psychometric and behavioral test performance. On the technical front, we utilized the Unity 3D game engine as the core for running our spatial ability tasks by simulating altered conditions of space exploration. We simulated two types of space exploration conditions: (1) microgravity condition in which participants’ idiotropic (body) axis is in statically and dynamically misaligned with their visual axis; and (2) conditions of Martian terrain that offers a visual frame of reference (FOR) but with limited and unfamiliar landmarks objects. We specifically targeted assessing human spatial ability and spatial perception. To assess spatial ability, we digitalized behavioral tests of Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT: R), the Mental Cutting Test (MCT), and the Perspective Taking Ability (PTA) test and integrated them into the VR settings to evaluate participants’ spatial visualization, spatial relations, and spatial orientation ability, respectively. For spatial perception, we applied digitalized versions of size and distance perception tests to measure participants’ subjective perception of size and distance. A suite of C# scripts orchestrated the VR experience, enabling real-time data collection and synchronization. This technical innovation includes the integration of data streams from diverse sources, such as VIVE controllers, eye-tracking devices, and EEG hardware, to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive dataset. A pivotal challenge in our research was synchronizing data from EEG, eye tracking, and VR tasks to facilitate comprehensive analysis. To address this challenge, we employed the Unity interface of the OpenSync library, a tool designed to unify disparate data sources in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. This approach ensures that all collected measures share a common time reference, enabling meaningful analysis of participant performance, gaze behavior, and EEG activity. The Unity-based system seamlessly incorporates task parameters, participant data, and VIVE controller inputs, providing a versatile platform for conducting assessments in diverse domains. Finally, we were able to collect synchronized measurements of participants’ scores on the behavioral tests of spatial ability and spatial perception, their gaze data and EEG data. In this paper, we present the whole process of combining the eye-tracking and EEG workflows into the VR settings and collecting relevant measurements. We believe that our work not only advances the state-of-the-art in spatial ability assessments but also underscores the potential of virtual reality as a versatile tool in cognitive research, therapy, and rehabilitation.

In this study, we explored the relationship between two predictors of engineering success: spatial ability and self-efficacy. Spatial ability, especially mental rotation, has been linked to successful performance in engineering. Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in his or her ability to perform successfully [1] and has received increased attention as a predictor of persistence in STEM fields. We examined the possible relationships between mental rotation, spatial visualization, engineering self-efficacy, and self-efficacy for two subsets of skills important in engineering majors: tinkering and design. Tinkering refers to the hands-on ability to construct, take apart, modify, and repair mechanical devices while design refers to the ability to develop a system, component or set of processes to solve a specific problem. We also investigated the possible role of previous design or tinkering related experience such as certain hands-on hobbies. We found spatial ability was correlated with multiple forms of engineering self-efficacy in less experienced, but not more experienced engineering students. Tinkering and design related hobbies were not related to spatial ability, but were related to tinkering and design self-efficacy. They also predicted performance on a measure of mechanical reasoning. Gender differences in engineering students on spatial ability and general engineering self-efficacy were small. The largest and most consistent gender differences were on tinkering-related experience and tinkering self-efficacy, although the latter appeared to be mitigated by the amount of engineering experience. Individual differences in tinkering-related experience is an understudied possible source of individual and gender differences in STEM fields such as engineering.

The present study explored the problem-solving strategies of high- and low-spatial visualization ability learners on a novel spatial anatomy task to determine whether differences in strategies contribute to differences in task performance. The results of this study provide further insights into the processing commonalities and differences among learners beyond the classification of spatial visualization ability alone, and help elucidate what, if anything, high- and low-spatial visualization ability learners do differently while solving spatial anatomy task problems. Forty-two students completed a standardized measure of spatial visualization ability, a novel spatial anatomy task, and a questionnaire involving personal self-analysis of the processes and strategies used while performing the spatial anatomy task. Strategy reports revealed that there were different ways students approached answering the spatial anatomy task problems. However, chi-square test analyses established that differences in problem-solving strategies did not contribute to differences in task performance. Therefore, underlying spatial visualization ability is the main source of variation in spatial anatomy task performance, irrespective of strategy. In addition to scoring higher and spending less time on the anatomy task, participants with high spatial visualization ability were also more accurate when solving the task problems.

Conflicting results are reported in the literature on whether dynamic visualizations are more effective than static visualizations for learning and mastering 3-D tasks, and only a few investigations have considered the influence of the spatial abilities of the learners. In a study with 117 participants, we compared the benefit of static vs. dynamic visualization training tools on learners with different spatial abilities performing a typical 3-D task (specifically, creating orthographic projections of a 3-D object). We measured the spatial abilities of the participants using the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and classified participants into two groups (high and low abilities) to examine how the participants' abilities predicted change in performance after training with static versus dynamic training tools. Our results indicate that: 1) visualization training programs can help learners to improve 3-D task performance, 2) dynamic visualizations provide no advantages over static visualizations that show intermediate steps, 3) training programs are more beneficial for individuals with low spatial abilities than for individuals with high spatial abilities, and 4) training individuals with high spatial abilities using dynamic visualizations provides little benefit.

Understanding the relationship between cognitive processing and learner performance on tasks using digital media has become increasingly important as the transition towards online learning programs increases. Determining the impact of implementation of instructional resources is often limited to performance outcomes and comparisons to the status quo. This study measured changes in cerebral blood velocity (CBV) of the right middle cerebral artery during visual learning tasks using static images. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was used to compare the changes in CBV during learning of individuals with high and low spatial ability. Our results show that there is a slight increase from baseline values of CBV in individuals with high spatial ability during the learning task for the present study. In contrast, individuals with low spatial ability experience a decrement from baseline during the learning task. These results suggest spatial ability mitigates cognitive load and potentially has an impact on learner performance on visual learning tasks.

Placing inspection time, reaction time, and perceptual speed in the broader context of cognitive ability: The VPR model in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

This research investigated the predictive relationship between Creative self-efficacy and Spatial visualization ability among gifted high school students in Saudi Arabia, in light of the knowledge transformation required to achieve the Kingdom's Vision 2030. The study utilized Bandura's social-cognitive theory framework to address a notable gap in Arabic literature regarding the interplay between cognitive experience and affective belief. The study used a descriptive correlational approach, applying the Revised PSVT:R and the Creative Self-Efficacy Scale to a sample of gifted high school students. The descriptive results showed that the sample had very high levels of both creative self-efficacy and spatial visualization ability, confirming the superior affective and cognitive characteristics of this group. The results of the correlation analysis showed a positive and statistically significant correlation between creative self-efficacy and spatial visualization ability. (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). More importantly, linear regression analysis revealed that spatial visualization ability statistically significantly predicts creative self-efficacy (B= 0.49, p < 0.001), with spatial visualization explaining approximately 23% of the variance in creative self-efficacy among gifted students. The study concludes that cognitive superiority in spatial ability acts as a cognitive lever that enhances students' affective confidence in their ability to innovate, supporting the hypothesis of reciprocal interaction between creative self-efficacy and spatial visualization ability. The study recommends the integration of intensive and systematic spatial visualization training programs into gifted education curricula, not only to improve technical skills, but also to enhance their creative self-efficacy and support the development of creative human capital to achieve national development goals.

Spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) is an emerging technology in the creation of virtual reality learning contexts. Existing studies have shown that immersion level and spatial ability affect learning performance and experience. Different levels of spatial ability also result in different learning performances and experiences in different levels of immersion, but this interaction effect remains unclear in the SVVR context. We conducted a 2 × 2 factorial experimental study to investigate the interactive effect of immersion level (high vs. low) and students’ spatial ability (high vs. low) on learning performance and experience in the SVVR context. A total of 120 college students participated in the study. The results showed that learning performance, presence, and motivation were significantly higher for high immersion than for low immersion. Learning performance was significantly higher for learners with high spatial ability than for those with low spatial ability. There was a significant interaction effect between immersion level and spatial ability on learning performance. The learning performance of learners with low spatial ability was significantly higher at high immersion than at low immersion. These findings provide a reference for educators to better apply SVVR to their teaching and help them personalize their instruction to students.

Spatial visualization and sex differences in quantitative ability

The objectives of this study were (1) to describe the spatial abilities of students using the Van Hiele thinking stages, (2) to find out the differences in students' spatial abilities in terms of the Van Hiele thinking stages based on the Van Hiele level groups. The method used is a mixed method type design, sequential explanatory with qualitative research followed by quantitative research first. Qualitative data collection techniques using observation, tests, and interviews with the subject of 6 students. Quantitative data collection technique with a sample obtained of 64 students using a test, by testing the hypothesis using the one way ANOVA test. The results of this study are as follows (1) Students' spatial abilities in terms of the Van Hiele thinking stage level 0 (Visualization) only meet the indicator spatial ability, namely spatial visualization, at the Van Hiele thinking stage level 1 (Analysis) meets the spatial ability indicators, namely spatial visualization and mental rotation. at the Van Hiele thinking stage level level 2 (informal deduction) fulfills all spatial ability indicators, namely spatial visualization, spatial perception and mental rotation, (2) There are differences in students' spatial abilities in terms of Van Hiele thinking stages based on group level 0 (Visualization), level 1 (Analysis), and level 2 (Informal Deduction).

Although spatial ability is related to success in the sciences, relatively little research has considered the relationship of spatial abilities with common misconceptions and broader conceptual difficulties in the Earth sciences. Spatial thinking and abilities have not commonly been directly addressed in traditional education. In this study, I found moderately significant positive correlations between scores on the ESC, a new test of Earth science conceptual understanding, and scores on each of three types, or factors, of spatial ability in university undergraduate non-science majors. Types of spatial ability tested included mental rotation, spatial perception, and spatial visualization. I found mental rotation to be the best predictor of ESC scores of the variables tested. Results suggest that an opportunity may exist to improve Earth science conceptual understanding by focusing on spatial abilities or the spatial aspects of concepts.