Relationship of Pupils’ Spatial Perception and Ability with Their Performance in Geography
Year 2017,
Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 154 - 170, 30.08.2017
Anna- Aikaterini Lıkourı
Aikaterini Klonarı
,
George Flourıs
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between pupils’ spatial perception and abilities
and their performance in geography. The sample was 600 6th-grade pupils from various areas of
Greece selected by the cluster sampling method. The study results showed that: a) the vast majority of
pupils showed low spatial ability; b) there was a deficit of geographical knowledge (according to the
curriculum), with satisfactory performance only in plan views and orientation; c) the pupils who
showed higher performance in geography course assessment test and in geographical abilities test have
better spatial perception; d) the school type (pilot school using new technologies, and traditional
school) did not seem to cause any difference to the pupils spatial perception; e) Pupils’ gender was not
found to cause significant difference to spatial perception, or to their performance; f) parents’
education was found to correlate with the pupils’ performance in geography.
References
- Allen, G. L. (Ed.). (2007). Applied spatial cognition: From research to cognitive technology.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Apostolopoulou, E. & Klonari, A. (2011). Pupils’ representations of rivers on 2D and 3D maps.
Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences, 19, 443-449.
- Baker, T. R., Battersby, S., Bednarz, S. W., Bodzin, A. M., Kolvoord, B., Moore, S., Sinton, D.
& Uttal, D. (2015). A research agenda for geospatial technologies and learning. Journal
of Geography, 114 (3), 118-130.
- Battista, M. T. (2007). The development of geometric and spatial thinking. Second handbook of
research on mathematics teaching and learning, 2, 843-908.
- Bednarz, S. W., & Bednarz, R. S. (1995). Preservice geography education. Journal of
Geography, 94 (5), 482-486.
- Bertoline, G. (1998). Visual Science: An Emerging Discipline. Journal for Geometry and
Graphics, 2, 181-187.
- Bishop, A. J. (1980). Spatial abilities and mathematics education – A review. In Critical issues
in mathematics education, 71-81.Springer US.
- Bloom, E., & Palmer-Moloney, L. J. (2004). Meeting the challenge: Integrating geographic
technology into today's social studies classroom. Meridian: A Middle School Computer
Technologies Journal, 7 (1), 1-5.
- Condie, R., Munro, B., Seagraves, L. & Kenesson, S. (2007). The impact of ICT in schools-a
landscape review. UK: Becta Research.
- Doering, A., & Veletsianos, G. (2007). An investigation of the use of real-time, authentic
geospatial data in the K-12 classroom. Journal of Geography, Special Issue on Using
Geospatial Data in Geographic Education, 106 (6), 217 225.
- Gallagher, S. (2001). The practice of mind. Theory, simulation or primary interaction?. Journal
of Consciousness Studies, 8 (5-6), 83-108.
- Geary, D. C., Saults, S. J., Liu, F., & Hoard, M. K. (2000). Sex differences in spatial cognition,
computational fluency, and arithmetical reasoning. Journal of Experimental child
psychology, 77 (4), 337-353.
- Gersmehl, F. & Gersmehl, A. (2007). Spatial thinking by young children: Neurologic evidence
for early development and “educability”. Journal of Geography, 106, 181-191. National
Council for Geographic Education.
- Gryl, I., & Jekel, T. (2012). Re-centring geoinformation in secondary education: toward a
spatial citizenship approach. Cartographica: the international journal for geographic
information and geovisualization, 47 (1), 18-28.
- Gryl, I., Jekel, T., & Donert, K. (2010). GI and spatial citizenship. Learning with GI, V, 2-11.
- Hyde, J. S., Geiringer, E. R., & Yen, W. M. (1975). On the empirical relation between spatial
ability and sex differences in other aspects of cognitive performance. Multivariate
Behavioral Research, 10 (3), 289-309.
- Jones, C. M., Braithwaite, V. A., & Healy, S. D. (2003). The evolution of sex differences in
spatial ability. Behavioral neuroscience, 117 (3), 403.
- Injeong, J. & Bednarz,S. (2014) Developing pre-service teachers' pedagogical content
knowledge for teaching spatial thinking through geography. Journal of Geography in
Higher Education, 38 (2), 301-313.
- shikawa, T. (2016). Spatial thinking in geographic information science: Students' geospatial
conceptions, map-based reasoning, and spatial visualization ability. Annals of the
American Association of Geographers, 106, 76–95.
- Karageorgos, D. (2002).Methodology of research in sciences of Education.A didactic approach.
Athens: Savvalas (In Greek).
- Kastens, K. A., & Ishikawa, T. (2006). Spatial thinking in the geosciences and cognitive
sciences: A cross-disciplinary look at the intersection of the two fields. Geological
Society of America Special Papers, 413, 53-76.
- Katsikis, A. (2001).Geography and geographical education: Reason of crisis-Regenerative
intervention proposal. Geographies, 2, 15-29. (In Greek).
- Kiritsis, D. (2008). The family as a factor in the school performance: empirical survey of 1.000
students in the third class. New Education, 128, 93-107. (In Greek).
- Κiritsis, D. & Papadopoulou, S. (2011). «The effect of socioeconomic layer, profession and
education level of parents in their involvement in educational and learning process of
their children. Pedagogical Review, 51, 121-139. (In Greek)
- Klonari Aik., & Karanikas, C. (2004). Comparison of the Geography lesson topics of June
examinations of 7th Grade in 1999 and 2003. Proceedings 10th Panhellenic Conference of
Science, E.E.F., Volume A, “Education and Teaching of Science”. Loutraki January 29-1
February 2004, 159-162. (In Greek).
- Klonari Aik. (2002). The place of Geography in Primary Greek Education. Proceedings of the
6th Pan-Hellenic Geographical Conference, Thessaloniki, 3-6 October 2002, I, 529-540
(In Greek)
- Klonari A. & Koutsopoulos, K. (2005). Primary and secondary educators’ attitudes on school
geography. In K. Donert & P. Charzynski (Ed), Changing horizons in geography
education, 151-155. Torun, Poland: Herodot Network.
- Klonari, A., Dalaka, A., Petanidou, Th. (2011). How evident is the apparent? Students and
teachers perception of the terraced landscape. International Research in Geographical
and Environmental Education, 20 (1), 5-20.
- Klonari, A. & Likouri, A. (2015). The relation of multiple intelligences and spatial perception
with performance in geography education. GI-Forum- Journal for Geographic
Information Science, 1, 359-362.
- Kozhevnikov, M., Motes, M., & Hegarty, M. (2007). Spatial visualization in physics problem
solving. Cognitive Science, 31, 549–579.
- Kubiatko, M., Mrazkova, K. & Janko, T. (2012). Gender and Grade Level as factors influencing
Perception Of Geography. RIGEO, 2 (3), 289-302.
- Lambrinos, N. (1998). Geographic Education: A Challenge for the Greek reality of the 21st
century. Modern Education, 104, 40-46. (In Greek).
- Lee, J. & Bednarz, R. (2009). Effect of GIS Learning on Spatial Thinking. Journal of
Geography in Higher Education, 33 (2), 183-198.
- Levine, S. C., Vasilyeva, M., Lourenco, S. F., Newcombe, N. S., & Huttenlocher, J. (2005).
Socioeconomic status modifies the sex difference in spatial skill. Psychological
science, 16 (11), 841-845.
- Li, P., & Gleitman, L. (2002). Turning the tables: Language and spatial reasoning. Cognition, 83
(3), 265-294.
- Liben, L. S. (2006). Education for spatial thinking. Handbook of child psychology. Wiley
Online Library.
- Liben, L. S., & Titus, S. J. (2012). The importance of spatial thinking for geoscience education:
Insights from the crossroads of geoscience and cognitive science. Geological Society of
America Special Papers, 486, 51-70.
- Lohman, D. F. (1993). Effects of Practice and Training on the Acquisition and Transfer of
Spatial Skills: Two Speed-Accuracy Studies. IOWA UNIVersity, Iowa City LINQUIST
CENTER FOR MEASUREMENT.
- Lord, T. R. (1990). Enhancing learning in the life sciences through spatial
perception. Innovative Higher Education, 15 (1), 5-16.
- Lubajacky, B., Duzi, P., Tercova, M. (1999). Some ways of acquiring space perception.
International Conference of Engineering Education, Prague, 1-4.
- Marran, N. (2003). Over the air programming and/or service activation. DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark office, No 6, 549, 770.
- Meeker, M. (1991). How do arithmetics and maths differ? Gifted Child Today, 14, 6-7.
Pellegrino, James W.; David L. Alderton and Valerie J. Shute, V. J. (1983). “Understanding
Spatial Ability. Educational Psychologist, 19, 239-253.
- Pribyl, J. R. & Bonder, G. M. (1987). Spatial ability and its role in organic chemistry: A study
of four organic courses. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 24, 229-240.
- Rafi A., K. Anuar, A. Samad, M. Hayati, M. Mahadzir (2005). Improving Spatial Ability Using
a Web-Based Virtual Environment .Automation in Construction, 14 (6), 707-715.
- Riala, K., Isohanni, I., Jokelainen, J., Jones, P.B., & Isohanni, M. (2003). The relationship
between childhood family background and educational performance, with special
reference to single-parent families: a longitudinal study. Social Psychology of Education,
6, 349-365.
- Rilea, S. L., Roskos-Ewoldsen, B., & Boles, D. (2004). Sex differences in spatial ability: A
lateralization of function approach. Brain and cognition, 56 (3), 332-343.
- Rutherford, D. J. (2015). Reading the road map for 21st century geography education in the
United States. Geography, 100 (1), 28-35.
- Sakkas, B. (2002). Learning disabilities and family. Pedagogy and Socio-psychological
approach. Athens: Atrapos (In Greek).
- Sanli, C., Sezer, A. & Pinar, A. (2016). Perceptions of Geography Teachers to Integrating
Technology to Teaching and their practices. RIGEO, 6 (3), 234-252.
- Sarno, E. (2008). Spatial intelligence and geography. Geography Online, 8 (1), 1-10.
- Sarno, E. (2012). Spatial Competences: The Results of Applied Geo-Research in Italian
Schools. RIGEO, 2 (2), 165-180.
- Schell, E. M., Roth, K. J., & Mohan, A. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography
education: Instructional materials and professional development (A report from the
Instructional Materials and Professional Development Committee of the Road Map for
21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: National Council for
Geographic Education.
- Uttal, D. H., Miller, D. I., & Newcombe, N. S. (2013). Exploring and enhancing spatial thinking
links to achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics?. Current
Directions in Psychological Science, 22 (5), 367-373.
- West, A., & Pennell, H. (2003). Underachievement in schools. London: Routledge Falmer.
- Wolfgang, H. C., Standard, L & Jones, I. (2003) .Advanced Constructional Play with legos
among Preschoolers as a Predictor of later school achievement in mathematics. Early
Child Development and Care, 173 (5), 467–475.
- Wu, H. K., & Shah, P. (2004). Exploring visuospatial thinking in chemistry learning. Science
education, 88 (3), 465-492.
- Zafranas, N. (2004). Piano keyboard training and the spatial–temporal development of young
children attending kindergarten classes in Greece. Early Child Development and
Care, 174 (2), 199-211.
Year 2017,
Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 154 - 170, 30.08.2017
Anna- Aikaterini Lıkourı
Aikaterini Klonarı
,
George Flourıs
References
- Allen, G. L. (Ed.). (2007). Applied spatial cognition: From research to cognitive technology.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Apostolopoulou, E. & Klonari, A. (2011). Pupils’ representations of rivers on 2D and 3D maps.
Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences, 19, 443-449.
- Baker, T. R., Battersby, S., Bednarz, S. W., Bodzin, A. M., Kolvoord, B., Moore, S., Sinton, D.
& Uttal, D. (2015). A research agenda for geospatial technologies and learning. Journal
of Geography, 114 (3), 118-130.
- Battista, M. T. (2007). The development of geometric and spatial thinking. Second handbook of
research on mathematics teaching and learning, 2, 843-908.
- Bednarz, S. W., & Bednarz, R. S. (1995). Preservice geography education. Journal of
Geography, 94 (5), 482-486.
- Bertoline, G. (1998). Visual Science: An Emerging Discipline. Journal for Geometry and
Graphics, 2, 181-187.
- Bishop, A. J. (1980). Spatial abilities and mathematics education – A review. In Critical issues
in mathematics education, 71-81.Springer US.
- Bloom, E., & Palmer-Moloney, L. J. (2004). Meeting the challenge: Integrating geographic
technology into today's social studies classroom. Meridian: A Middle School Computer
Technologies Journal, 7 (1), 1-5.
- Condie, R., Munro, B., Seagraves, L. & Kenesson, S. (2007). The impact of ICT in schools-a
landscape review. UK: Becta Research.
- Doering, A., & Veletsianos, G. (2007). An investigation of the use of real-time, authentic
geospatial data in the K-12 classroom. Journal of Geography, Special Issue on Using
Geospatial Data in Geographic Education, 106 (6), 217 225.
- Gallagher, S. (2001). The practice of mind. Theory, simulation or primary interaction?. Journal
of Consciousness Studies, 8 (5-6), 83-108.
- Geary, D. C., Saults, S. J., Liu, F., & Hoard, M. K. (2000). Sex differences in spatial cognition,
computational fluency, and arithmetical reasoning. Journal of Experimental child
psychology, 77 (4), 337-353.
- Gersmehl, F. & Gersmehl, A. (2007). Spatial thinking by young children: Neurologic evidence
for early development and “educability”. Journal of Geography, 106, 181-191. National
Council for Geographic Education.
- Gryl, I., & Jekel, T. (2012). Re-centring geoinformation in secondary education: toward a
spatial citizenship approach. Cartographica: the international journal for geographic
information and geovisualization, 47 (1), 18-28.
- Gryl, I., Jekel, T., & Donert, K. (2010). GI and spatial citizenship. Learning with GI, V, 2-11.
- Hyde, J. S., Geiringer, E. R., & Yen, W. M. (1975). On the empirical relation between spatial
ability and sex differences in other aspects of cognitive performance. Multivariate
Behavioral Research, 10 (3), 289-309.
- Jones, C. M., Braithwaite, V. A., & Healy, S. D. (2003). The evolution of sex differences in
spatial ability. Behavioral neuroscience, 117 (3), 403.
- Injeong, J. & Bednarz,S. (2014) Developing pre-service teachers' pedagogical content
knowledge for teaching spatial thinking through geography. Journal of Geography in
Higher Education, 38 (2), 301-313.
- shikawa, T. (2016). Spatial thinking in geographic information science: Students' geospatial
conceptions, map-based reasoning, and spatial visualization ability. Annals of the
American Association of Geographers, 106, 76–95.
- Karageorgos, D. (2002).Methodology of research in sciences of Education.A didactic approach.
Athens: Savvalas (In Greek).
- Kastens, K. A., & Ishikawa, T. (2006). Spatial thinking in the geosciences and cognitive
sciences: A cross-disciplinary look at the intersection of the two fields. Geological
Society of America Special Papers, 413, 53-76.
- Katsikis, A. (2001).Geography and geographical education: Reason of crisis-Regenerative
intervention proposal. Geographies, 2, 15-29. (In Greek).
- Kiritsis, D. (2008). The family as a factor in the school performance: empirical survey of 1.000
students in the third class. New Education, 128, 93-107. (In Greek).
- Κiritsis, D. & Papadopoulou, S. (2011). «The effect of socioeconomic layer, profession and
education level of parents in their involvement in educational and learning process of
their children. Pedagogical Review, 51, 121-139. (In Greek)
- Klonari Aik., & Karanikas, C. (2004). Comparison of the Geography lesson topics of June
examinations of 7th Grade in 1999 and 2003. Proceedings 10th Panhellenic Conference of
Science, E.E.F., Volume A, “Education and Teaching of Science”. Loutraki January 29-1
February 2004, 159-162. (In Greek).
- Klonari Aik. (2002). The place of Geography in Primary Greek Education. Proceedings of the
6th Pan-Hellenic Geographical Conference, Thessaloniki, 3-6 October 2002, I, 529-540
(In Greek)
- Klonari A. & Koutsopoulos, K. (2005). Primary and secondary educators’ attitudes on school
geography. In K. Donert & P. Charzynski (Ed), Changing horizons in geography
education, 151-155. Torun, Poland: Herodot Network.
- Klonari, A., Dalaka, A., Petanidou, Th. (2011). How evident is the apparent? Students and
teachers perception of the terraced landscape. International Research in Geographical
and Environmental Education, 20 (1), 5-20.
- Klonari, A. & Likouri, A. (2015). The relation of multiple intelligences and spatial perception
with performance in geography education. GI-Forum- Journal for Geographic
Information Science, 1, 359-362.
- Kozhevnikov, M., Motes, M., & Hegarty, M. (2007). Spatial visualization in physics problem
solving. Cognitive Science, 31, 549–579.
- Kubiatko, M., Mrazkova, K. & Janko, T. (2012). Gender and Grade Level as factors influencing
Perception Of Geography. RIGEO, 2 (3), 289-302.
- Lambrinos, N. (1998). Geographic Education: A Challenge for the Greek reality of the 21st
century. Modern Education, 104, 40-46. (In Greek).
- Lee, J. & Bednarz, R. (2009). Effect of GIS Learning on Spatial Thinking. Journal of
Geography in Higher Education, 33 (2), 183-198.
- Levine, S. C., Vasilyeva, M., Lourenco, S. F., Newcombe, N. S., & Huttenlocher, J. (2005).
Socioeconomic status modifies the sex difference in spatial skill. Psychological
science, 16 (11), 841-845.
- Li, P., & Gleitman, L. (2002). Turning the tables: Language and spatial reasoning. Cognition, 83
(3), 265-294.
- Liben, L. S. (2006). Education for spatial thinking. Handbook of child psychology. Wiley
Online Library.
- Liben, L. S., & Titus, S. J. (2012). The importance of spatial thinking for geoscience education:
Insights from the crossroads of geoscience and cognitive science. Geological Society of
America Special Papers, 486, 51-70.
- Lohman, D. F. (1993). Effects of Practice and Training on the Acquisition and Transfer of
Spatial Skills: Two Speed-Accuracy Studies. IOWA UNIVersity, Iowa City LINQUIST
CENTER FOR MEASUREMENT.
- Lord, T. R. (1990). Enhancing learning in the life sciences through spatial
perception. Innovative Higher Education, 15 (1), 5-16.
- Lubajacky, B., Duzi, P., Tercova, M. (1999). Some ways of acquiring space perception.
International Conference of Engineering Education, Prague, 1-4.
- Marran, N. (2003). Over the air programming and/or service activation. DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark office, No 6, 549, 770.
- Meeker, M. (1991). How do arithmetics and maths differ? Gifted Child Today, 14, 6-7.
Pellegrino, James W.; David L. Alderton and Valerie J. Shute, V. J. (1983). “Understanding
Spatial Ability. Educational Psychologist, 19, 239-253.
- Pribyl, J. R. & Bonder, G. M. (1987). Spatial ability and its role in organic chemistry: A study
of four organic courses. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 24, 229-240.
- Rafi A., K. Anuar, A. Samad, M. Hayati, M. Mahadzir (2005). Improving Spatial Ability Using
a Web-Based Virtual Environment .Automation in Construction, 14 (6), 707-715.
- Riala, K., Isohanni, I., Jokelainen, J., Jones, P.B., & Isohanni, M. (2003). The relationship
between childhood family background and educational performance, with special
reference to single-parent families: a longitudinal study. Social Psychology of Education,
6, 349-365.
- Rilea, S. L., Roskos-Ewoldsen, B., & Boles, D. (2004). Sex differences in spatial ability: A
lateralization of function approach. Brain and cognition, 56 (3), 332-343.
- Rutherford, D. J. (2015). Reading the road map for 21st century geography education in the
United States. Geography, 100 (1), 28-35.
- Sakkas, B. (2002). Learning disabilities and family. Pedagogy and Socio-psychological
approach. Athens: Atrapos (In Greek).
- Sanli, C., Sezer, A. & Pinar, A. (2016). Perceptions of Geography Teachers to Integrating
Technology to Teaching and their practices. RIGEO, 6 (3), 234-252.
- Sarno, E. (2008). Spatial intelligence and geography. Geography Online, 8 (1), 1-10.
- Sarno, E. (2012). Spatial Competences: The Results of Applied Geo-Research in Italian
Schools. RIGEO, 2 (2), 165-180.
- Schell, E. M., Roth, K. J., & Mohan, A. (Eds.). (2013). A road map for 21st century geography
education: Instructional materials and professional development (A report from the
Instructional Materials and Professional Development Committee of the Road Map for
21st Century Geography Education Project). Washington, DC: National Council for
Geographic Education.
- Uttal, D. H., Miller, D. I., & Newcombe, N. S. (2013). Exploring and enhancing spatial thinking
links to achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics?. Current
Directions in Psychological Science, 22 (5), 367-373.
- West, A., & Pennell, H. (2003). Underachievement in schools. London: Routledge Falmer.
- Wolfgang, H. C., Standard, L & Jones, I. (2003) .Advanced Constructional Play with legos
among Preschoolers as a Predictor of later school achievement in mathematics. Early
Child Development and Care, 173 (5), 467–475.
- Wu, H. K., & Shah, P. (2004). Exploring visuospatial thinking in chemistry learning. Science
education, 88 (3), 465-492.
- Zafranas, N. (2004). Piano keyboard training and the spatial–temporal development of young
children attending kindergarten classes in Greece. Early Child Development and
Care, 174 (2), 199-211.