Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students

Juan C. Castro-Alonso; Paul Ayres; Fred Paas

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33

Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students

Juan C. Castro-Alonso^*, Paul Ayres, Fred Paas

^*Corresponding author for this work

Educational and Developmental Psychology

Research output: Chapter/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines can depend on the sub-abilities of spatial ability and visuospatial working memory. According to the STEM task, certain sub-abilities may be more important than others in predicting achievement. Similarly, some individual characteristics (e.g., gender) moderate some of these sub-abilities. For example, males on average have higher mental rotation spatial ability than females, whereas spatial working memory tends to be less prone to gender effects. In addition, the results of the tests measuring these sub-abilities can be changed by manipulating certain variables. We present a battery of nine computerized and adaptable instruments to measure these sub-abilities, with the aim of informing cognitive researchers about the processing abilities most vital for undertaking STEM tasks, and how they can be modified to suit learner characteristics.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017
Editors	Terence Andre
Publisher	Springer-Verlag Italia
Pages	337-349
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Print)	9783319600178
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33
Publication status	Published - 2018
Event	AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017 - Los Angeles, United States Duration: 17 Jul 2017 → 21 Jul 2017

Publication series

Series	Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing
Volume	596
ISSN	2194-5357

Conference

Conference	AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017
Country/Territory	United States
City	Los Angeles
Period	17/07/17 → 21/07/17

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The first author acknowledges funding from CONICYT PAI, national funding research program for returning researchers from abroad, 2014, No. 82140021; and PIA? CONICYT Basal Funds for Centers of Excellence, Project FB0003. Also, this research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant (DP140103307) to the second and third authors. We acknowledge the programming and design of Daniel Escalante, Mauricio Barrios, Mat?as Salinas and Ignacio Jarabran, and the significant assistance of M?nica Arenas and Claudia Arenas.

Publisher Copyright:
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018.

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10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33

Cite this

Castro-Alonso, J. C., Ayres, P., & Paas, F. (2018). Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students. In T. Andre (Ed.), Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017 (pp. 337-349). Springer-Verlag Italia. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33

Castro-Alonso, Juan C. ; Ayres, Paul ; Paas, Fred. / Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students. Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017. editor / Terence Andre. Springer-Verlag Italia, 2018. pp. 337-349 (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, Vol. 596).

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title = "Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students",

abstract = "Performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines can depend on the sub-abilities of spatial ability and visuospatial working memory. According to the STEM task, certain sub-abilities may be more important than others in predicting achievement. Similarly, some individual characteristics (e.g., gender) moderate some of these sub-abilities. For example, males on average have higher mental rotation spatial ability than females, whereas spatial working memory tends to be less prone to gender effects. In addition, the results of the tests measuring these sub-abilities can be changed by manipulating certain variables. We present a battery of nine computerized and adaptable instruments to measure these sub-abilities, with the aim of informing cognitive researchers about the processing abilities most vital for undertaking STEM tasks, and how they can be modified to suit learner characteristics.",

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note = "Funding Information: The first author acknowledges funding from CONICYT PAI, national funding research program for returning researchers from abroad, 2014, No. 82140021; and PIA? CONICYT Basal Funds for Centers of Excellence, Project FB0003. Also, this research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant (DP140103307) to the second and third authors. We acknowledge the programming and design of Daniel Escalante, Mauricio Barrios, Mat?as Salinas and Ignacio Jarabran, and the significant assistance of M?nica Arenas and Claudia Arenas. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Springer International Publishing AG 2018.; AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017 ; Conference date: 17-07-2017 Through 21-07-2017",

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Castro-Alonso, JC, Ayres, P & Paas, F 2018, Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students. in T Andre (ed.), Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017. Springer-Verlag Italia, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol. 596, pp. 337-349, AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017, Los Angeles, United States, 17/07/17. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33

Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students. / Castro-Alonso, Juan C.; Ayres, Paul; Paas, Fred.
Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017. ed. / Terence Andre. Springer-Verlag Italia, 2018. p. 337-349 (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, Vol. 596).

Research output: Chapter/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

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N1 - Funding Information: The first author acknowledges funding from CONICYT PAI, national funding research program for returning researchers from abroad, 2014, No. 82140021; and PIA? CONICYT Basal Funds for Centers of Excellence, Project FB0003. Also, this research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant (DP140103307) to the second and third authors. We acknowledge the programming and design of Daniel Escalante, Mauricio Barrios, Mat?as Salinas and Ignacio Jarabran, and the significant assistance of M?nica Arenas and Claudia Arenas. Publisher Copyright: © Springer International Publishing AG 2018.

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Castro-Alonso JC, Ayres P, Paas F. Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students. In Andre T, editor, Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences - Proceedings of the AHFE 2017 International Conference on Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, 2017. Springer-Verlag Italia. 2018. p. 337-349. (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, Vol. 596). doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-60018-5_33

Computerized and adaptable tests to measure visuospatial abilities in stem students

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