Spatial Thinking and STEM: How Playing with Blocks Supports Early Math

Autor/inn/en	Zimmermann, Laura; Foster, Lindsey; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy
Titel	Spatial Thinking and STEM: How Playing with Blocks Supports Early Math
Quelle	In: American Educator, 42 (2019) 4, S.22-27 (6 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0148-432X
Schlagwörter	Spatial Ability; STEM Education; Play; Toys; Preschool Education; Preschool Children; Skill Development; Active Learning; Problem Solving; Visualization; Informal Education; Learning Readiness; School Readiness + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; STEM; Spiel; Toy; Spielzeug; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschule; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung; Aktives Lernen; Problemlösen; Visualisation; Visualisierung; Informelle Bildung; Nichtformale Bildung; Lernbereitschaft; Readiness for school; School ability; Schulreife
Abstract	The last 15 years have witnessed a quiet revolution in the understanding of spatial skills, and the authors are finding that these all-important science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competencies are rooted in spatial knowledge. Spatial skills are the tools use to visualize and navigate the world. Spatial skills allows people to manipulate objects in their environment and in their minds. They allow people to compute and store relations between objects. Like gravity, these skills for granted, although they are use them all the time. Despite important research findings on the impact of early spatial and math learning on later academic success, many schools lack the knowledge, resources, and capacity to focus on STEM and spatial learning in developmentally appropriate ways. In this article, the authors propose that spatial learning and STEM should be taught as early as preschool. To build upon supporting children's learning through guided play, educators can incorporate project-based learning to encourage spatial and mathematical learning in the early years. Project-based learning is a teaching method where students gain knowledge and skills by working to investigate and respond to a complex problem, question, or challenge. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	American Federation of Teachers. 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. Tel: 202-879-4400; e-mail: amered@aft.org; Web site: http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01