title: Formation of spatial thinking skills through different training methods.
abstract: Spatial training can be durable and transferable if the training involves cognitive process-based tasks. The current study explored different spatial training methods and investigated the sequences of process-based mental simulation that was facilitated by various structures of external spatial representation, 3D technology, spatial cues, and/or technical languages. A total of 115 Columbia University's students were conducted through three experiments using a between-subjects design to examine the effects of spatial training methods on spatial ability performance. The conditions for training environments included 3D-virtual and 3D-physical interactions with abstract (nonsense-geometric) and concrete (everyday-object) contents. Overall, learners in the treatment conditions improved in their spatial skills significantly more than those in the control conditions. Particularly, 3D-direct-manipulation conditions in the third experiment added promising results about the specific sequences during spatial thinking formation processes.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, USA, sk451@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Sorachai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kornkasem
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D065854:Spatial Navigation / Q000502:physiology*; D013663:Teaching; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult