Analysis of Spatial Concepts, Spatial Skills and Spatial Representations in New York State Regents Earth Science Examinations

Autor/inn/en	Kastens, Kim A.; Pistolesi, Linda; Passow, Michael J.
Titel	Analysis of Spatial Concepts, Spatial Skills and Spatial Representations in New York State Regents Earth Science Examinations
Quelle	In: Journal of Geoscience Education, 62 (2014) 2, S.278-289 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1089-9995
Schlagwörter	Spatial Ability; Scientific Concepts; Skill Analysis; Science Tests; Earth Science; Exit Examinations; High Schools; Test Items; Item Analysis; Difficulty Level; Goodness of Fit; New York + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Earth sciences; Geowissenschaften; Final examination; Abschlussprüfung; High school; Oberschule; Test content; Testaufgabe; Itemanalyse; Schwierigkeitsgrad
Abstract	Research has shown that spatial thinking is important in science in general, and in Earth Science in particular, and that performance on spatially demanding tasks can be fostered through instruction. Because spatial thinking is rarely taught explicitly in the U.S. education system, improving spatial thinking may be "low-hanging fruit" as far as improving science education. In this paper we have analyzed, categorized, and quantified the occurrence of items that require spatial thinking on New York State's end-of-course exam for high school Earth Science. Analyzing all items across 12 exams (1,016 items total), we find abundant instances of spatial concepts, spatial skills, and spatial representations, with 63.1% of the items being coded into one or more spatial categories. In an associated pilot study of item difficulty on one exam, we find that students on average scored lower on items that we had coded as spatial than on items we had coded as nonspatial. In the short run, these findings should motivate Earth Science teachers to attend more deliberately to fostering spatial thinking in their instruction. In the long run, findings such as these can be used in crafting targeted professional development based on an analysis of what types of items an individual teacher's students have found to be difficult. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Carleton College W-SERC, One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057. Tel: 540-568-6675; Fax: 540-568-8058; e-mail: jge@jmu.edu; Website: http://nagt-jge.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01