Textbook Questions to Support Spatial Thinking: Differences in Spatiality by Question Location

Abstract

This study investigates the location and varying spatiality of questions in geography textbooks. The results show that study questions posed in page margins address the three components of spatial thinking—concepts of space, using tools of representation, and processes of reasoning—more than questions in other locations within the text. Three practices are particularly recommended to help students develop spatial thinking skills through answering textbook questions: (1) utilize page-margin questions; (2) select questions around spatial representations; and (3) focus on higher-level cognitive processes.

Keywords:

• spatial thinking
• textbook questions
• question location
• concepts of space
• tools of representation
• processes of reasoning

Acknowledgments

Injeong Jo is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Her research interests include geography education, spatial thinking, curriculum development, and teacher preparation.

Dr. Sarah W. Bednarz is a professor in the Department of Geography and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Her primary research interests focus on cognition, geography education, and ways geospatial technologies support the development of spatial thinking.