From Tesla to Tetris: Mental Rotation, Vocation, and Gifted Education

Abstract

Mental rotation ability is important for success in a number of academic and career fields, especially the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains. Individual differences in intelligence, spatial ability, strategy selection biases, and gender are all associated with proficiency in mental rotation. Interventions and activities that develop and improve mental rotation skills also increase success in the STEM and related domains. Thus, intellectually gifted students interested in these domains need opportunities to develop their mental rotation skills and spatially gifted students need opportunities to develop their skills in the STEM domains. Parents, teachers, and programs for the gifted should provide these opportunities and increase emphasis on developing spatial abilities, generally, and mental rotation, in particular, for our gifted children.

Keywords:

• gender differences
• gifted education
• mental rotation
• spatial ability
• spatial visualization
• STEM
• talent
• Tesla