Navigating Minds: Exploring the Spatial Thinking Abilities of College Students

Spatial thinking is a fundamental cognitive skill that is crucial for understanding concepts in Earth Science, yet challenging for many individuals to develop. This research aimed to investigate the impact of a Structural Geology course on students’ spatial thinking abilities, examining potential disparities based on gender and expertise. Employing a longitudinal observational design, four spatial thinking assessments were administered to 11 students enrolled in Earth Science 271: Structural Geology at Vassar College. Repeated measures ANOVAs, conducted via a statistical analysis program (JASP), showed limited changes in test scores over the four-week period of observation. While gender and prior experience in Earth Science had little effect on performance, the study encountered challenges, such as a small sample size and short data collection period, which may have made it difficult to identify significant patterns. Future research could address these limitations by utilizing a larger and more diverse sample size and conducting observations over a longer period of time. This approach could improve findings’ credibility and provide valuable insights for spatial thinking education strategies.