The purpose of this study is to invetigate the causal relationships among 12th grade students&rsquo / geometry knowledge regarding prisms and pyramids, spatial ability, gender, and school type. Path analysis was used to test the relationships among knowledge factors (declarative, conditional, and procedural knowledge), spatial ability factors (spatial visualization, mental rotation, and spatial perception ability), gender (female and male), and school type (general high schools and Anatolian high schools). Knowledge factors and spatial ability factors were determined by carrying out confirmatory factor analysis for the Prisms and Pyramids Knowledge Test and Purdue Spatial Visualization Test separately. Results revealed the bilateral relations among students&rsquo / declarative, conditional and procedural knowledge / and the bilateral relations among spatial visualization, mental rotation, and spatial perception ability. When relations among spatial ability factors and knowledge factors were examined, the importance of the students&rsquo / spatial abilities on geometry performance was exposed explicitly. Spatial visualization and mental rotation ability have positive direct effects on all knowledge factors. Additionally, spatial perception ability have positive direct effect on declarative and procedural knowledge. On the other hand, school type has positive direct effects on students&rsquo / geometry knowledge factors and spatial ability factors. These effects exposed the superiority of students in Anatolian high schools in respect of students in general high schools. Moreover, direct effects of gender on mental rotation ability, spatial perception ability, and declarative knowledge were found. Although, results presented the male superiority in mental rotation and spatial perception abilities, direct effect of gender on declarative knowledge indicate the female advantage.

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of two different methods of dynamic geometry based computer instruction on seventh grade students&rsquo / attitudes towards geometry, attitudes toward mathematic and technology and spatial abilities compared to traditional textbook based instruction and to get the students&rsquo / views related to the effects of computer based instruction on their learning. The sample consisted of 57 seventh grade students from a private elementary school in Kayseri. The study was conducted in the 2006-2007 academic year, lasting 14 lesson hours (two weeks). The data were collected through spatial ability test, mathematics and technology attitude scale, geometry attitude scale, and interviews. The quantitative analyses were carried out by using multivariate covariance analyses. The results revealed that two different methods of dynamic geometry based computer instruction didn&rsquo / t have a significangt effect on students&rsquo / spatial abilities compared to traditional textbook based instruction. The results also indicated that two different methods of dynamic geometry based instruction had a significant effect on students&rsquo / attitudes toward geometry, mathematics and technology compared to traditional textbook based instruction. The results of the interviews indicated that computers created a dynamic learning environment which supported students&rsquo / development and computers also helped students to explore mathematic in a far more meaningful way.

The purposes of the study were to investigate the effects of visual treatment on students&rsquo / opinion in terms of thinking process and students&rsquo / opinion in terms of feelings in the spatial ability activities / to investigate the effects of visual treatment on student&rsquo / s spatial ability, spatial visualization and spatial orientation The study was conducted in Ankara with 21 sixth-grade elementary school students. One group pretest-posttest design was used. Two measuring instruments were utilized: Spatial Ability Test and Spatial Problem Attitude Scale. Spatial Ability Test, which was developed by Ekstrom, consists of paper folding and surface development tests measuring the spatial visualization ability and card rotation together with cube comparison tests measuring the spatial orientation ability. The tests were translated into Turkish by Delialioglu, (1996). Spatial Problem Attitude Scale was developed by researcher. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research using a mixed method design. The researcher conducted 9 interviews with nine 6th grade students from the same class. The students were asked their opinion about the visual treatment in terms of thinking process and feelings in the spatial ability activities. Additionally, the class was observed during their activity time that continued 10 weeks and five hours per week.In order to analyze the obtained data, Friedman and Wilcoxon tests as well as one-way repeated measures Analysis of Variance were used. To analyze data obtained from interviews, the phenomenographic method was used. The results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant change in students&rsquo / spatial ability, spatial orientation and spatial visualization scores across three time periods (pre treatment, post treatment and retention). All three scores were significantly different from each other. Test scores were significantly higher immediately after the visual treatment than those before the treatment. The test scores one month later were significantly lower than those immediately after the treatment, but significantly higher than the scores before the treatment. The findings suggest that visual treatment has positive effects on students&rsquo / spatial cognitive process and their attitudes toward spatial ability problems. Selection of the appropriate visual treatment should be based on students&rsquo / needs and their cognitive development level for providing better learning environment

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of origami-based instruction on fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students&rsquo / spatial ability in mathematics. More specifically, how origami-based instruction affected students&rsquo / spatial visualization and spatial orientation ability was examined. In addition, elementary students&rsquo / self-reported perceptions related to origami-based instruction was investigated. In other words, students&rsquo / attitude towards origami-based instruction, their views about the benefits of origami-based instruction and its connection to mathematics, and the difficulties that students encountered while making origami as well as by whom they overcame these difficulties were investigated. The data was collected from 38 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in a private school in Eryaman neighborhood in Ankara. The participants were given a Spatial Ability Test (SAT) as pretest and posttest in order to assess the effect of origami-based instruction on their spatial ability in terms of spatial visualization and spatial orientation. In addition, the participants were asked to write reflection papers related to origami-based instruction in order to examine their perceptions. The results indicated that there was a significant positive effect of origami-based instruction on elementary students&rsquo / both spatial visualization and spatial orientation ability. Moreover, the findings showed that students had positive attitude toward origami-based instruction where they wanted to continue origami-based instruction. Students also thought that origami-based instruction was beneficial for them especially in geometry topics in mathematics, and they have common views that origami-based instruction was directly related with mathematics. Furthermore, results revealed that students were generally encountered with folding and assembling difficulties, and they overcame these difficulties by themselves, by the help of the teacher, and by the help of their friends.

The purpose of this research is to examine the gender differences that exist when male and female participants complete the mirror-tracing task. This task was chosen because it requires both spatial and psychomotor abilities and is unusual in the sense that it has a far higher correlation with standard spatial ability measures than do most other psychomotor tests. This research will focus on looking at gender differences in speed, accuracy, and practice effects. It will also investigate two personality traits that correlate with performance on the task: introversion and anxiety. Data will be collected from three studies: Experiment 2 of Ackerman&Cianciolo's (1999) study, Experiment 3 of Ackerman&Cianciolo's (2000) study, and Experiment 1 of Field's (1998) study. The results are expected to show that males complete the mirror-tracing task quicker than females during initial, intermediate, and final assessments; however, females will exhibit greater practice effects than males. The results are also anticipated to show there is no significant gender difference in the number of errors made during initial, intermediate, or final assessment. Finally, the number of errors made during initial assessment on the mirror-tracing task is expected to be negatively correlated with introversion and positively correlated with anxiety.

Habitat fragmentation during 50s of 20th century caused decrease in food resource availibility for many small mammalian forest species. Despite all of the changes, those species managed to adapt to it - one of the adaptation mechanics has been migrating into agricultural areas. The main aim of this study was to describe the spatial activity of Apodemus sylvaticus and Myodes glaerolus inside two forst patches and compare it. My next aim was evaluate the significance of agricultural areas nearby the researched forest patches. One part of this was even the comparison of different marking techniques used for rodents in field. Data describing movement activity of researched species were collected using capture-mark-recapture (CMR) As expected the data differ - Greater mobility was found in A. sylvaticus, the M. glaerolus preffered to stay inside patches with larger vegetation cover. The raids into surrounding patches differed even in those two researched forest sites. In site "Samota" A. sylvaticus showed greater movement distance, however in "Hejtman" it were M. glaerolus expressing greater movement ability. Theirs movement were directed inside clover field. Both species of Samota site ventured into patches with dense plant cover, perhaps to minimise the risk of predation. The best method of marking proved to be the clipping the rodents ears with tags. As the next more efficient I would choose the ear-clipping.

O presente trabalho teve, como cerne, o estudo do campo dos conceitos estereoquímicos, sob a luz da Teoria dos Campos Conceituais proposta por Gérard Vergnaud. Neste sentido, a investigação foi conduzida com vistas a identificar os invariantes operatórios empregados por sujeitos ao enfrentar situações que envolvam a representação química. Estudar o papel da habilidade espacial perante a resolução de tarefas no campo em questão, assim como o estudo dos fatores associados à conceituação em situações em sala de aula, também fizeram parte dos objetivos. Mediante a participação de alunos dos cursos de Química e de Farmácia e Bioquímica da Universidade de São Paulo em minicursos que versavam sobre conceitos estereoquímicos, oferecidos como fonte de coleta de dados, foram selecionados três episódios. A partir da transcrição dos registros em vídeo e da análise qualitativa efetuadas com o auxílio de um programa especializado foram inferidas informações sobre o conteúdo conceitual da argumentação oral e gestual utilizados pelos alunos. Quanto à habilidade espacial, foram empregados instrumentos psicométricos distintos, quais sejam um que avalia esta habilidade via processamento gestáltico, disponível na literatura, e outro que avalia via processamento analítico. O desenvolvimento e validação, deste último, foi efetuado mediante o uso de dispositivos estatístico-inferenciais sobre um população de 561 alunos. Como resultado, foram propostos os invariantes operatórios, identidade estrutural (I), equivalência (E) e livre movimentação no espaço (M) como elementos conceituais passíveis de associação durante a ação do sujeito. Esta associação, então, constituiria três esquemas distintos, ME, MEI e EI, responsáveis por diferenças significativas nas conclusões chegadas pelos alunos em pelo menos um dos episódios estudos. Além disso, foi encontrado que, quando confrontados os diferentes episódios, nem todos os alunos empregam regularmente os mesmos invariantes operatórios. Neste sentido, foi proposto que o uso de esquemas está vinculado à reflexao pelo indivíduo. Logo, atividades de natureza metacognitiva estariam vinculadas à conceituação promovendo uma tomada de consciência sobre a própria argumentação e sobre a do outro. Finalmente, também foi sugerido, mediante o cruzamento de dados psicométricos com a análise dos registros efetuados em vídeo, que a habilidade espacial não figura como único nem, tampouco, principal fator envolvido ao sucesso na resolução de problemas estereoquímicos. A associação adequada dos invariantes operatórios bem como a reflexão sobre os procedimentos empregados seriam, também, elementos fundamentais ao desenvolvimento neste campo conceitual / The main objective of the present work was to identify the cognitive requirements for an adequate learning of stereochemical concepts. Vergnaud\'s Theory on conceptualization inspired most experimental activities, aimed to access common operating invariants or strategies that allow for a better understanding of stereo formulae and chirality properties. In order to collect reliable information, a group of graduate students, enrolled in Chemistry or Pharmaceutical Sciences Courses, were invited to follow a specially designed series of lectures. In three different occasions, they were asked to answer questions on stereochemical issues, and their performance was recorded in audio and video, and subsequently fully analyzed. As for the ability of moving or superimposing images in space, two sets of questions , requiring either an unified or an analytical approach, were presented to 561 students from different syllabi. After collecting, the entire database was submitted to statistical analysis, in order to verify if all groups of students could be considered comparable, despite of baseline differences. Data analysis allowed for the identification of three operating invariants, i.e.: structure identity (I), equivalence (E) and free movement in space (M). On the basis of these findings, students were classified as ME, MEI or EI, according to the set of invariants composing their problem solving schemes. However, different cognitive scenarios could be observed when the same students were confronted to new problem solving sessions. In some cases, after presenting their results, students were asked to answer questions raised by their peers or by the instructor. Such process of further reasoning frequently allowed for a change, and was responsible for achieving awareness of their own learning process and learning difficulties. Finally, it should be mentioned that a critical analysis of all experimental data revealed that the ability to operate movements of images in space is not mandatory for conceptualization in Stereochemistry. Moreover, the cooperative construction of cognitive schemes, resulting form reporting back activities, plays an important role towards success

Geography education is undergoing change in K-12 education due in part to the introduction of geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS). Although active engagement in GIS mapping would seem to enhance students’ spatial thinking, little is known about the mapping strategies that students employ or about changes in their geographic knowledge that would result. This study, set in a high school Advanced Placement human geography class, sought to contribute to these areas of inquiry. Participants performed a web-based GIS task focused on global population and migration. Attention in the study was on (a) the strategies students employed when investigating geographic phenomena using GIS, (b) changes in their cognitive maps, as assessed through sketch maps, resulting from the activity, (c) the relationship between GIS maps and sketch maps, and (d) the ways in which a subset of students serving as case studies explained the nature of their mapping. The study employed screen-captures, video-recordings, observations, pre- and post-study sketch maps, and interviews. Analyses of the GIS process revealed that, in creating their maps, the students used a number of strategies, which included searching, layering, removing layers of data, adjusting transparency, editing, and noting. Although searching and layering were employed by all students, there was variability across students in use of the other strategies. With respect to changes in their spatial thinking, analyses of the sketch maps showed increases in elaboration and accuracy in terms of migration patterns. When GIS maps were compared to sketch maps, analyses showed relations for many students. The six students who served as case studies revealed major connections between personal interests and the reasoning employed in mapping. They also described their entry points into the process. The study shows how real-time data collection, including screen captures, as well as more static measures, specifically sketch maps, can provide insights into the spatial thinking of students while using GIS. It provides some support to educational approaches to geography in which students become creators of maps, not simply users of maps, and suggests that, through their own mapping process, students expand their cognitive maps and enhance their spatial thinking.

Spatial ability has been studied in relation to education and gender previously, concluding that men outperform women in any field of study in spatial tasks and test batteries. For that reason, the present study aims to confirm such differences through a spatial orientation task and the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale (SBSOD). The study was conducted online with 106 participants of which 58 were men and 44 women, distributed in two groups (STEM and No-STEM). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test concluded that overall men outperform women in both the task and the test, however, there is no difference between field of study. Further research should focus on the limitations of the present study, regarding the sample size and task design. / Spatial förmåga har tidigare studerats med avseende på både studieinriktning och kön, där slutsatsen har varit att män presterar bättre än kvinnor oavsett studieinriktning vid test av spatial förmåga. Av den anledningen riktar den här studien in sig på att styrka det sambandet med hjälp av en spatial orienteringsuppgift och Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale (SBSOD). Studien genomfördes online med 106 deltagare där 58 var män och 44 kvinnor, fördelade i två grupper baserat på studieinriktning (Naturvetenskaplig och icke- naturvetenskaplig). En variansanalys (ANOVA) och ett t-test gav resultatet att män generellt presterar bättre än kvinnor i både uppgiften och testet, men det finns däremot ingen skillnad mellan studieinriktningar. Ytterligare forskning bör fokusera på begränsningarna i denna studie, avseende antal deltagare och utformning av uppgiften.

“Origami-mathematics lessons” (Boakes, 2006) blend the ancient art of paper folding with the teaching of mathematics. Though a plethora of publications can be easily found advocating the benefits of Origami in the teaching of mathematics, little research exist to quantify the impact Origami has on the learning and building of mathematical skills. The research presented in this paper targets this common claim focusing on how Origamimathematics lessons taught over an extended period of time impact students’ knowledge of geometry and their spatial visualization abilities. The paper begins with a brief overview of Origami as it relates to teaching mathematics followed by a summary of research done with two age groups: middle school children and college students. Gathered data in these two studies suggest that Origami-mathematics lessons are as beneficial as traditional instructional methods in teaching mathematics.