Spatial Ability and Achievement in High School Physics

• Main Author: Liner, Michael Shawn
• Other Authors: Slezak, Cyrill
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: LSU 2012
• Subjects: Natural Sciences (Interdepartmental Program)
• Online Access: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07032012-131830/

This study investigates the relationship between a students spatial abilities and their success in high school physics. First, I investigate whether the success of students in high school physics class correlates with their spatial abilities before taking the class. Second, I investigate whether taking high school physics has an effect on students spatial abilities. No direct intervention was given to any of the students. Three instruments were administered to determine the students spatial abilities, The Perspective Taking/Spatial Orientation Test (Hegarty & Waller, 2004), The Mental Rotation Test (Peters & Laeng, 1995), and The Paper Folding Test (Ekstrom, French, Harmon, & Derman, 1976). Students were also evaluated on their pre-conceived notions of force and motion using the Force Concept Inventory (Hestenes, Wells, & Swackhamer, 1992). These four instruments as well as the students course test averages were evaluated to determine correlation. Results show that there may have been an improvement in spatial abilities as measured by the Mental Rotation Test in the AP course (n=17,p<0.05). However, I did not find any correlation to pre-existing spatial abilities and performance in the course