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Formation of spatial thinking skills through different training methods

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Abstract

Spatial training can be durable and transferable if the training involves cognitive process-based tasks. The current study explored different spatial training methods and investigated the sequences of process-based mental simulation that was facilitated by various structures of external spatial representation, 3D technology, spatial cues, and/or technical languages. A total of 115 Columbia University’s students were conducted through three experiments using a between-subjects design to examine the effects of spatial training methods on spatial ability performance. The conditions for training environments included 3D-virtual and 3D-physical interactions with abstract (nonsense-geometric) and concrete (everyday-object) contents. Overall, learners in the treatment conditions improved in their spatial skills significantly more than those in the control conditions. Particularly, 3D-direct-manipulation conditions in the third experiment added promising results about the specific sequences during spatial thinking formation processes.

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Correspondence to Sorachai Kornkasem.

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Kornkasem, S., Black, J.B. Formation of spatial thinking skills through different training methods. Cogn Process 16 (Suppl 1), 281–285 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-015-0707-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-015-0707-8

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