Description
This research compares Icelandic (N=38) and Mississippi (N=20) Teacher Education Students (TESs) geographical disposition towards teaching spatial thinking using the Spatial Thinking Ability Test (STAT) and the Geography Dispositions Inventory (GDI). The STAT consists of sixteen multiple-choice questions of eight different types and the GDI includes 40 items in five categories.The results from STAT indicate that a large majority of participants could find locations, understand orientations and directions (#1) and identify patterns on a map and choose a correct graphical display of a spatial pattern (#3). Around 80% could navigate on road maps (#2), and whereas 90% could comprehend spatial association between two maps (#6). The results from GDI indicate both groups needing support to teach spatial thinking, with main challenge in teaching thinking skills, but reaching the level of fairly disposed in the highest category of Explicit teaching of spatial concepts. The statistical analysis of STAT revealed significant difference between groups by gender, location and students’ major, and analysis of GDI revealed significant difference by location. These results are valuable for TE curriculum development particularly what TESs find difficult and how to approach the importance of spatial thinking and problem solving using geographic information when preparing their future teaching.
| Period | 1 Jun 2021 |
|---|---|
| Event title | NFSUN 2021: Science Education in the light of Global Sustainable Development : Trends and possibilities |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Aarhus, DenmarkShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |