Investigating spatial thinking-based puzzle tasks for improving geometric reasoning.

Abstract

While there is support for the success of spatial training on both spatial ability and mathematics outcomes (Hawes et al., 2022; Uttal et. al., 2013), it is unclear whether spatial training is effective for increasing success on verbal mathematical reasoning tasks or has impacts on gesture occurrence, which has been shown to be highly associated with success on geometric reasoning tasks (Nathan et al., 2021). Additionally, recent research has indicated that spatial anxiety may moderate the effect of spatial ability on both geometric reasoning and gesture occurrence (Schenck & Nathan, 2022), but it is not known if spatial anxiety will directly impact spatial training. This study that explores the impact of a spatial task on geometric reasoning expands on previous work by exploring the impacts of spatial training and spatial anxiety on individuals’ success on verbal geometric reasoning tasks, which have not been included in previous research. This work will provide key insights into the role of spatial anxiety, the feasibility of spatial training for geometric reasoning, and possible modalities of spatial training.