Situating space: using a discipline-focused lens to examine spatial thinking skills

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• STEM Education
• Geospatial Science

Background:

• Spatial skills are vital for success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
• Traditional psychological research on spatial skills differs from the multifaceted problems faced by STEM experts.
• Recent efforts integrate psychological and STEM education research to understand spatial thinking within STEM disciplines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize key lessons from psychological and STEM education research on spatial thinking.
• To enhance the understanding of spatial thinking as it applies to STEM domains.
• To explore implications for STEM education based on interdisciplinary research findings.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of research from psychology and STEM education.
• Identification of four key lessons learned from the integration of these research programs.
• Illustration of contributions using examples from structural geology, surgery, and organic chemistry.

Main Results:

• Four distinct lessons learned from integrating psychological and discipline-based STEM education research are presented.
• The research highlights the multifaceted nature of spatial problems encountered by STEM experts.
• Examples from structural geology, surgery, and organic chemistry demonstrate the practical application of these lessons.

Conclusions:

• Integrating insights from psychology and STEM education research offers a more comprehensive understanding of spatial thinking.
• The identified lessons can inform pedagogical strategies to improve spatial skills in STEM education.
• Further research can leverage these findings to enhance student learning and success in STEM fields.