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What Processes Underlie the Relation Between Spatial Skill and Mathematics?

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Visualizing Mathematics

Part of the book series: Research in Mathematics Education ((RME))

Abstract

In this chapter, we review approaches to modeling a connection between spatial and mathematical thinking across development. We critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of factor analyses, meta-analyses, and experimental literatures. We examine those studies that set out to describe the nature and number of spatial and mathematical abilities and specific connections among these abilities, especially those that include children as participants. We also find evidence of strong spatial-mathematical connections and transfer from spatial interventions to mathematical understanding. Finally, we map out the kinds of studies that could enhance our understanding of the mechanism by which spatial and mathematical processing are connected and the principles by which mathematical outcomes could be enhanced through spatial training in educational settings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consortium on School Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Christopher Young

  2. Departments of Psychology, and Comparative Human Development and Committee on Education, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Susan C. Levine

  3. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Kelly S. Mix

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  1. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Kelly S. Mix

  2. Department of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Michael T. Battista

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Young, C., Levine, S.C., Mix, K.S. (2018). What Processes Underlie the Relation Between Spatial Skill and Mathematics?. In: Mix, K., Battista, M. (eds) Visualizing Mathematics. Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98767-5_5

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