Effective learning in chemistry education requires students to understand visual representations across multiple conceptual levels. Essential to this process are visuospatial skills which enable students to interpret and manipulate these representations effectively. These abilities allow students to construct mental models that support problem…

Spatial reasoning is identified as a Numeracy general capability in the Australian Curriculum, and more globally as a significant precursor to mathematics proficiency. Currently, the literature surrounding mathematical-spatial relations remains largely removed from classroom practice. This paper provides a reflection on the spatial cognition field…

Young children are capable of engaging with ratio, measurement and operator meanings of fractions earlier than many national curriculum standards indicate, yet current trends in children's understanding of fractions in Australia, remain weak. Research suggests that spatial reasoning can positively influence mathematical knowledge; however, the…

Spatial visualisation is an essential component of geometric thinking and measurement sense. It is a particular type of spatial skill that involves manipulation of spatial images and may not be naturally occurring for students. However, research shows that it is malleable and can be developed through instruction. This article presents an…

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) and mobile technologies have been identified as important in reimaging information delivery and pedagogy. This, coupled with evolving research in single (SUVR) and multiuser (MUVR) IVR environments, may enhance educational practice. However, there is limited research on the impact of such technologies on the…

There is increasing evidence for the impact of spatial training on mathematics performance in early years of education, however little research has focused on secondary school environments, which are traditionally more discipline driven. In the present study, a large-scale classroom-based intervention saw the introduction of twelve hours of…

There is a large body of research that suggests a sound understanding of rational number is vital for success in all areas of mathematics, at school and beyond. In the Australian Curriculum, fractions are formally introduced from Year 1, yet there is evidence to suggest that current approaches are not leading to deep understanding in later years.…

A novel method to create a physicalization of Digital Earth resulted a new type of analogue and tactile geographic information system (GIS). The model was tested by students in Australia, who shared insights into how the model supported their learning about the concept of "overlay" while providing an interesting and engaging learning…

In this article, Rebecca Seah and Andrew Beencke explore the importance of developing critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills. They explore a series of activities designed to develop the visualisation and critical thinking skills with Year 4 students.

Over three decades of research has shown that spatial reasoning and mathematics performance are highly correlated. Spatial visualization, in particular, has been found to predict mathematics performance in primary and middle school children. This research sought to determine the effectiveness of a spatial visualization intervention program on…

Visual and analytic strategies are features of students' schemes for spatial tasks. The strategies used by six students to anticipate the folding of nets were investigated. Evidence suggested that visual and analytic strategies were strongly connected in competent performance.

Although the psychological literature has demonstrated that spatial reasoning and mathematics performance are correlated, there is scant research on these relationships in the middle years. The current study examined the commonalities and differences in students' performance on instruments that measured three spatial reasoning constructs and two…

Geometry belongs to branches of mathematics that develop students' visualisation, intuition, critical thinking, problem solving, deductive reasoning, logical argument and proof (Jones, 2002). It provides the basis for the development of spatial sense and plays an important role in acquiring advanced knowledge in science, technology, engineering,…

This article describes the development and validation of a newly designed instrument for measuring the spatial ability of middle school students (11-13 years old). The design of the Spatial Reasoning Instrument (SRI) is based on three constructs (mental rotation, spatial orientation, and spatial visualization) and is aligned to the type of spatial…

This paper attempted to make explicit some of the underlying characteristics of spatial visualisation using the concept of area of composite shapes. By engaging students with metric-free tasks, we identify the type of perceptual and visual/spatial manoeuvres that they deploy in such situations. Interview data collected from three students in Grade…