Papers by Nathaniel Meadow
Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, e... more Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, engi-neering, and mathematics fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and experience can improve these skills, we meta-analyzed 217 research studies investigating the magnitude, moderators, durability, and generalizability of training on spatial skills. After eliminating outliers, the average effect size (Hedges’s g) for training relative to control was 0.47 (SE 0.04). Training effects were stable and were not affected by delays between training and posttesting. Training also transferred to other spatial tasks that were not directly trained. We analyzed the effects of several moderators, including the presence and type of control groups, sex, age, and type of training. Additionally, we included a theoretically motivated ...
What is it that our hands are doing while we speak? Gesture naturally accompanies spoken explanat... more What is it that our hands are doing while we speak? Gesture naturally accompanies spoken explanations for many people, but does it affect cognition or is it simply there for show? A previous experiment (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006b) demonstrated that when studying for a future test, writing out studied material is more beneficial than simply re-reading it. We hypothesized that gesturing would serve the same beneficial function as writing. In our experiment we added two conditions to the previous Roediger paradigm. We investigated how explaining information on Day 1 would compare to re-reading and written recall. We divided explanation into two conditions: explanation with and explanation without gesture. During the gesture condition, subjects were allowed to move their hands freely. During explanation without gesture, subjects were asked to keep their hands on the table while they explained the passage. Subjects returned 48 hours later and took a written recall test for each of the fo...
Cognitive Science, 2011
Strong spatial skills predict achievement in STEM fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; W... more Strong spatial skills predict achievement in STEM fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training can improve these skills, we meta-analyzed 217 research studies, investigating the magnitude, moderators, durability and generalizability of training on spatial skills. The average effect size (Hedges’ g) for training relative to control was .47 (SE = .04). Effect sizes were affected substantially by the presence of control groups. When treatment and control group improvements were considered separately, the mean effect size for trained groups was .62 (SE = .04), while the effect size for control groups was only .45 (SE = .04). Training effects were durable, and led to near and medium transfer. Considered together, the results suggest that spatially enriched education could pay substantial dividends in increasing participation...
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2011
We present the analysis of video case studies of students using geographic information systems (G... more We present the analysis of video case studies of students using geographic information systems (GIS) software to address sophisticated, locally-based problems in a secondary school course. Students show evidence of complex problem definition, hands on resolutions to conceptual and technological issues through the application of advanced geospatial processing, and choice of representations in their work, as well as the application of advanced geospatial processing. We are also conducting a quantitative study of the ...
Oxford Handbooks Online, 2013
Having high levels of spatial skills strongly predicts attainment in science, technology, enginee... more Having high levels of spatial skills strongly predicts attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). The focus of this chapter is on two issues: (a) the effect of training and practice on spatial skills and (b) the cognitive mechanisms that support training-related improvement. We discuss a recently conducted meta-analysis that measures the beneficial effects of practice on spatial ability. On average, training led to an improvement of almost one-half standard deviation. Moreover, in some cases the training-related improvements were durable and transferred to other spatial tasks. Research on the effects of training on one well-known spatial task, mental rotation, has led to specific accounts of the influence of practice and training. Finally, we review the effects of video games on spatial skills and their potential impact on spatial cognition. The ability to improve people's spatial ability provides an avenue to increase participation in mathematics, science, and engineering.
spatiallearning.org
SILC. ...
Psychological Bulletin, 2013
Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, e... more Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and experience can improve these skills, we meta-analyzed 217 research studies investigating the magnitude, moderators, durability, and generalizability of training on spatial skills. After eliminating outliers, the average effect size (Hedges's g) for training relative to control was 0.47 (SE ϭ 0.04). Training effects were stable and were not affected by delays between training and posttesting. Training also transferred to other spatial tasks that were not directly trained. We analyzed the effects of several moderators, including the presence and type of control groups, sex, age, and type of training. Additionally, we included a theoretically motivated typology of spatial skills that emphasizes 2 dimensions: intrinsic versus extrinsic and static versus dynamic (Newcombe & Shipley, in press). Finally, we consider the potential educational and policy implications of directly training spatial skills. Considered together, the results suggest that spatially enriched education could pay substantial dividends in increasing participation in mathematics, science, and engineering.
silccenter.org
SILC is founded on the belief that spatial skills are malleable, and that education or life exper... more SILC is founded on the belief that spatial skills are malleable, and that education or life experience can therefore enhance spatial thinking. However, prior research on this issue has led to mixed results. Let's look at two examples. On the one hand, Sorby and Baartmans (1996, 2000) have demonstrated that engineering students who receive extensive practice in spatially-relevant skills, such as mentally rotating figures or disembedding, do better in their courses and are more likely to graduate. On the other hand, Sims and Mayer (2002) ...
Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in STEM fields (eg, Shea,... more Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in STEM fields (eg, Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and experience can improve these skills, we meta-analyzed 217 research studies investigating the magnitude, moderators, durability and generalizability of training on spatial skills. After eliminating outliers, the average effect size (Hedges'g) for ...
Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, e... more Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (eg, Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and experience can improve these skills, we conducted a meta-analysis of 217 research studies (206 after excluding the outliers) investigating the magnitude, durability, and generalizability of ...
We have conducted research to assess the impact of geospatial technologies on high school student... more We have conducted research to assess the impact of geospatial technologies on high school students' spatial thinking and problem solving skills as they complete a dual enrollment class with an extensive project component. Through the use of a project rubric and video case studies, we are evaluating the quality of the spatial problem solving and use of geospatial technology in the course projects as well as the impact of the use of the geospatial technology on the development of student's spatial thinking skills as evidence ...
Journal of Memory and Language, 2008
Thinking about the meaning of studied words (deep processing) enhances memory on typical recognit... more Thinking about the meaning of studied words (deep processing) enhances memory on typical recognition tests, relative to focusing on perceptual features (shallow processing). One explanation for this levels-of-processing effect is that deep processing leads to the encoding of more distinctive representations (i.e., more unique semantic or conceptual features that can be recollected to differentiate the words). This recollective distinctiveness hypothesis predicts that deep processing should reduce false recognition errors, because expecting more distinctive recollections can facilitate retrieval monitoring accuracy (i.e., a distinctiveness heuristic). We report several experiments confirming this prediction, while ruling out explanations based on familiarity or overall memory strength. Additional support for the distinctiveness hypothesis was that a manipulation designed to selectively enhance the distinctiveness of words in the shallow condition eliminated the levels-of-processing effect on false recognition. These findings suggest that conceptual processing can elicit the distinctiveness heuristic, and that recollective distinctiveness drives levels-of-processing effects.
Memory & Cognition
We apply the item-order theory of list composition effects in free recall to the orthographic dis... more We apply the item-order theory of list composition effects in free recall to the orthographic distinctiveness effect. The item-order account assumes that orthographically distinct items advantage item-specific encoding in both mixed and pure lists, but at the expense of exploiting relational information present in the list. Experiment 1 replicated the typical free recall advantage of orthographically distinct items in mixed lists and the elimination of that advantage in pure lists. Supporting the item-order account, recognition performances indicated that orthographically distinct items received greater item-specific encoding than did orthographically common items in mixed and pure lists (Experiments 1 and 2). Furthermore, order memory (input–output correspondence and sequential contiguity effects) was evident in recall of pure unstructured common lists, but not in recall of unstructured distinct lists (Experiment 1). These combined patterns, although not anticipated by prevailing views, are consistent with an item-order account.
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Papers by Nathaniel Meadow