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Abstract
This article examines whether questions embedded in geography textbooks address three components of spatial thinking: concepts of space, tools of representation, and processes of reasoning. A three-dimensional taxonomy of spatial thinking was developed and used to evaluate questions in four high school level geography textbooks. The results indicate that textbook questions focus on low-level spatial concepts more frequently than high-level spatial concepts; few questions require students to create various kinds of spatial representations; and textbook questions only rarely encourage higher-order cognitive skills. The study provides insights on the design and use of textbook questions to foster learning to think spatially.
Injeong Jo is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography at Texas A&M University in College Station. Her research interests include geography education and spatial thinking, and curriculum development in these areas.
Sarah Witham Bednarz is a professor in the Department of Geography and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University in College Station. Her primary research interests focus on cognition, geography education, and ways geospatial technologies support the development of spatial thinking.
