2013 Conference Proceedings - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

SPATIAL REASONING IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS: A CASE STUDYLindsay PrughOklahoma Christian Universitylindsay.prugh@oc.eduThe need for spatial thinkers is evident in the lackluster performance of students in mathematicsand the lack of interest in spatially-driven fields. Research has linked spatial thinking toproblem solving, indicating that spatial thinking skills are necessary for success in mathematics.This embedded case study examined how the inclusion of spatial tasks influenced problemsolvingperformance, spatial thinking ability, and beliefs of undergraduate mathematics students.Data were collected through quantitative and qualitative instruments. Findings suggest theinclusion of spatial thinking tasks has an influence on students’ spatial visualization ability,problem-solving strategies, and beliefs about the relevance of spatial thinking.Spatial thinking is not only necessary for success in many aspects of daily life, but it is alsoan essential skill for the STEM fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,from which many scientific discoveries and progress are made (NRC, 2006). The importance ofspatial thinking throughout a child’s kindergarten through grade-12 education is emphasized inthe geometric standards set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM,2000). This recommendation is mirrored through the work of the National Research Council(NRC), which asserts that spatial thinking is a learnable skill that should be matriculatedthroughout a student’s educational experience. Spatial activities are a worthwhile investment inthe mathematics classroom, since the skill of spatial thinking has been repeatedly linked toproblem solving (Battista, 1990; Edens & Potter, 2007; Moses, 1977).Meaningful mathematics learning is almost always based in spatial imagery. While someforms of mathematical reasoning do not require imagery, the majority of mathematical activitiesinvolve a spatial component (Wheatley & Abshire, 2002). But what does it mean to thinkspatially? Super and Bachrach (1957) describe the skill as the ability to generate, retain,compare, retrieve, manipulate, and transform well-structured mental images. The inclusion ofthese images through well designed spatial tasks could lead to more effective problem-solvingstrategies and improved instructional strategies in the classroom. For these changes to be made,present and future students must be given the opportunity to engage in spatial thinking wheneverpossible, especially in the mathematics classroom.Proceedings of the 40 th Annual Meeting of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning 2013 68