You are here:

Re-Dimensional Thinking in Earth Science: From 3-D Virtual Reality Panoramas to 2-D Contour Maps
Article

, , North Carolina State University, United States ; , Gulf Coast Community College at Panama City, United States ; , James Madison University, United States ; , University of North Carolina - Wilmington, United States

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Volume 19, Number 1, ISSN 1093-023X Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

Full Text

Abstract

This study examines the relationship of gender and spatial perception on student interactivity with contour maps and non-immersive virtual reality. Eighteen eighth-grade students elected to participate in a six-week activity-based course called "3-D GeoMapping." The course included nine days of activities related to topographic mapping. At the end of the course, the students were required to locate the position of a photographer on a contour map by studying a 360-degree VR panorama assembled from images captured by the photographer. There were six different locations in the assessment. All student interactions with the VR panorama and contour map were recorded on videotape. Males tended to be more successful on some of the locations, and those students with better spatial perception abilities were able to determine the locations with fewer trials. Suggestions for software modification and additional research are included.

Citation

Park, J., Carter, G., Butler, S., Slykhuis, D. & Reid-Griffin, A. (2008). Re-Dimensional Thinking in Earth Science: From 3-D Virtual Reality Panoramas to 2-D Contour Maps. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(1), 75-90. Waynesville, NC: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved September 30, 2023 from .

© 2008 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

Keywords

References

View References & Citations Map
  1. Audet, R. H., & Abegg, G. L. (1996). Geographic information systems: Implications for problem solving. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(1), 121-145.
  2. Baker, D., & Piburn, M. (1997). Constructing science in middle and secondary classrooms, Boston MA: Allyn & Bacon.
  3. Barmea, N., & Dori, Y. J. (1999). High-school chemistry students’ performance and gender differences in a computerized molecular modeling learning environment. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8(4), 257-271.
  4. Ben-Chaim, D., Lappan, G., & Houang, R. T. (1988). The effect of instruction on spatial
  5. Bybee, R. W., & Sund, R. B. (1990). Piaget for Educators, 2nd Edition, Prospect Heights IL: Waveland Press, Inc.
  6. Clements, D. H., Battista, M. T., Sarama, J., & Swaminathan, S. (1997). Development of students’ spatial thinking in a unit on geometic motions and area. The Elementary School Journal, 98(2), 171-186.
  7. Cohen, H. (1983). A comparison of the affect of two types of student behavior with manipulatives on the development of projective spatial structures. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20(9), 875-883.
  8. Couclelis, H., Golledge, R. G., Gale, N., & Tobler, W. (1987). Exploring the anchor point hypothesis of spatial cognition. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 7, 99-122.
  9. Devlin, A. S. (2001). Mind and maze: Spatial cognition and environmental behavior. Westport CT: Praeger.
  10. Downs, R. M. (1985). The representation of space: Its development in children and in cartography. In R. Cohen (Ed.), The development of spatial cognition. (pp. 323-345). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Eliot, J. (1987). Models of psychological space: Psychometric, developmental, and experimental approaches. New York: Springer-Verlag.
  11. Ekstrom, R. B., French, J. W., Harman, H. H., & Dermen, D. (1976). Manual for kit of factorreferenced cognitive tests (Manual), Princeton NJ: Educational Testing Service.
  12. Kali, Y., Orion, N., & Mazor, E. (1997). Software for assisting high-school students in the spatial perception of geological structures. Journal of Geoscience Education, 45, 10-21.
  13. Liben, L. S., & Downs, R. M. (1989). Understanding maps as symbols: The development of map concepts in children, In H. W. Reese (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (Vol. 22). San Diego: Academic Press.
  14. Liben, L. S., & Downs, R. M. (1993). Understanding person-space-map relations: Cartographic and developmental perspective. Developmental Psychology, 29(4), 739-752.
  15. Mathewson, J. H. (1999). Visual-spatial thinking: An aspect of science overlooked by educators. Science Education, 83, 33-54.
  16. McCormack, A. J. (2002). Building visual/spatial thinking skills in children and teachers. Paper presented at the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
  17. Newcombe, N. (1989). Development of spatial perspective taking. In H.W. Reese (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior. (Vol. 22 pp. 203-247).San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Newcombe, N., & Huttenlocher, J. (1992). Children’s early ability to solve perspective-taking problems. Developmental Psychology, 28(4), 633-643.
  18. Pallrand, G. J., & Seeber, F. (1984). Spatial ability and achievement in introductory Physics. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 21(5), 507-516.
  19. Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1967). The child’s conception of space. NY: Norton. (Original work published 1948)
  20. Plumert, J., Ewert, K., & Spear, S. J. (1995). The early development of children’s communication about nested spatial relations. Child Development, 66(4), 959-969.
  21. Plumert, M. (1994). Flexibility in Children’s use of spatial and categorical organizational strategies in recall. Developmental Psychology, 30(5), 738-747.
  22. Salatas, H., & Flavell, J. H. (1976). Perspective taking: The development of two components of knowledge. Child Development, 47, 103-109.
  23. Siegel, A. W., & White, S. H. (1975). The development of spatial representations of large-scale environments. In H. W. Reese (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (Vol. 10, pp. 9-55). New York: Academic Press.
  24. Sorby, S. A., & Baartmans, B. G. (1996). A course for the development of 3-D spatial visualisation skills. Engineering Design Graphics Journal, 60, 13-20.
  25. Tobin, K. (Ed.) (1993). The practice of constructivism in science education. Hillside NJ: Lawrence Erlebaum Associates.
  26. West, R. L., Morris, C.W., & Nichol, G.T. (1985). Spatial cognition on nonspatial tasks: Finding spatial knowledge when you're not looking for it. In Robert Cohen (Ed.), The development of spatial cognition (pp. 13-39). Hillsdale, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

These references have been extracted automatically and may have some errors. Signed in users can suggest corrections to these mistakes.

Suggest Corrections to References

Also Read

Related Collections