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Unpacking mathematical-spatial relations: Problem-solving in static and interactive tasks

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Abstract

The relationship between mathematics and spatial reasoning is well established and extensively researched. Certain mathematics content could be deemed explicitly spatial, for example within geometry. However, the link to spatial reasoning extends into other areas of mathematics, such as representations of the number line and reading and interpreting graphs. Correlational and training studies have tended to focus on mathematics either broadly (e.g., standardised test scores) or with specific measures (e.g., arithmetic) when examining the relationship between mathematics and spatial reasoning. In the present study, 455 students from grades 4 through 9 completed digital assessments of mathematics and spatial reasoning. The mathematics tasks reflected curriculum content with varying degrees of spatial intent. Separate assessments were developed for the primary and secondary cohorts. Relationships between mathematics task performance and spatial reasoning indicate distinctions in problem-solving between item types with different spatial skills influential for different content. The role of spatial reasoning in interactive forms of digital assessment is discussed.

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Notes

  1. The large sample of year 8s is due to participation as an intervention control group and therefore larger recruitment was necessary; data reported in this paper is taken from pre-test measures only. The variability in numbers and genders across grade levels is a function of parent consent for participation and beyond the control of the authors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Alex Forndran for his assistance with data collection. Thanks to three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by Australian Research Council Grant DP150101961.

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  1. University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia

    Danielle Harris, Tracy Logan & Tom Lowrie

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  1. Danielle Harris
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  2. Tracy Logan
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  3. Tom Lowrie
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Correspondence to Danielle Harris.

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Harris, D., Logan, T. & Lowrie, T. Unpacking mathematical-spatial relations: Problem-solving in static and interactive tasks. Math Ed Res J 33, 495–511 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00316-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00316-z

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