Picture This: Increasing Math and Science Learning by Improving Spatial Thinking
American Educator
Summer 2010
Spatial thinking is crucial to student success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The question is “Can spatial thinking actually be improved?” In this article, Newcombe examines how spatial cognition is indeed malleable and discusses techniques that educators already have for developing spatial thinking, through practice, language, gesture, maps, diagrams, sketching, and analogy. The author also explores the benefits of building these techniques into curricula.