Spatial thinking in secondary geography: A summary of research findings and recommendations for future research
Keywords:
spatial thinking, secondary geography, research on spatial thinking.Abstract
Since publication of the report Learning to Think Spatially (National Research Council, 2006), many geography educators and education researchers have examined ways to incorporate spatial thinking into geography classrooms at various levels (K–16). The dramatic increase in the number of journal article searches based on the keyword spatial thinking and geography education during the last decade reflects this trend. It is time for the geography education community to reflect on what research has accomplished in understanding effective ways to support spatial thinking by implementing geographic curricula, instruction, and assessment in secondary education. In this paper, I review the literature on spatial thinking education, particularly in the context of geography. First, I present definitions of spatial thinking and a framework of research on spatial thinking in secondary geography education. Next, I describe the studies that I have included for review and summarize the findings. Last, I conclude the paper with several recommendations for future research.References
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