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Fostering spatial abilities of middle school students through augmented reality: Spatial strategies

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Abstract

In school mathematics, representations of solid figures and three-dimensional geometric objects generally rely on two-dimensional projective representation modes on students’ textbooks. In learning environments, these representation modes create a kind of cognitive filter, which prevents students with low spatial ability to comprehend and envision three-dimensional objects. Studies showed that spatial ability could be improved by means of suitable concrete models and computer created models in learning settings. Thus, fostering students’ spatial ability helps to overcome and eliminate negative effects of this cognitive filter. However, some studies suggest that this cognitive filter may even occur while working with computer created objects since computers generally rely on two-dimensional digitizer panels on screen technology. On the other hand, augmented reality interface allows a new way of learning environment which could help to overcome this cognitive filter by providing unique representation modes and opportunities to foster students’ spatial ability. In this study, an intervention with an augmented reality interface to foster students’ spatial understandings were reported in terms students’ invented strategies for spatial concepts. In this sense, eight seventh graders worked on spatial tasks with an augmented reality interface in learning settings. Findings revealed that while proceeding on spatial tasks, students could invent, use and modify spatial strategies. Moreover, students’ spatial understanding was fostered as they progressed on tasks with the designed augmented reality interface. This study is a part of an educational design research which was focused on design and development a proper augmented reality tool to foster spatial ability of students. As a result of this study, with the help of combination of augmented reality interface and spatial tasks, teachers will be provided with a new tool to visualize mathematical concepts and students could be supported with this new tool as a new learning material.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants, since most of the data were gathered through video recordings.

Code availability

The augmented reality software which was designed and developed for this study is available as an apk format for android devices from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This article is a revision of BO’s doctoral dissertation from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. We acknowledge and thank the contributions from members of thesis committee who shared their perspectives, thereby enabling this research to be completed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics Education, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Antalya, Turkey

    Bilal Özçakır

  2. Mathematics Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

    Erdinç Çakıroğlu

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  1. Bilal Özçakır
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  2. Erdinç Çakıroğlu
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This research is a revision from BO’s doctoral dissertation with supervision of EC. The authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bilal Özçakır.

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Ethics approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of Human Studies Commission at Applied Ethics Research Center of Middle East Technical University with protocol number 2016-EGT-019.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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To the best of our knowledge, the named authors have no conflict of interest or financial, relevant to this article. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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This article is a revision of BO’s doctoral dissertation from Middle East Technical University, Turkey.

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Özçakır, B., Çakıroğlu, E. Fostering spatial abilities of middle school students through augmented reality: Spatial strategies. Educ Inf Technol 27, 2977–3010 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10729-3

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