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Gender differences in relationsip between background experiences and three levels of spatial ability

Tang, Meiling
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155573195

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Policy and Leadership.
Spatial ability is an important human aptitude and it appears to impact vocational development, academic performance, and work performance. Studies suggest that spatial skills are related to some activities and can be improved through appropriate training programs. However, the traditional education program does not require specific spatial training and thus student participation in spatial activities before college is left to chance. This lack of necessary spatial ability results in prematurely dropping out of academic courses in college, and eventually affects their career in the future. In the present study, spatial ability is defined into three different difficulty levels: basic level, middle level and high level based on a 3-stage Data-People-Things hierarchical model. Three models related to these 3 different levels of spatial ability are hypothesized. These models predict different levels of spatial ability by five different spatial experiences/background factors, including spatial activities, computer experiences, music experiences, art experiences and family spatial opportunity. The target population for this research is Chinese ordinary public senior high school Grade 2, equivalent to American Grade 11, students (N =13,738) within a mid-sized county in the mid-southern part of China. More than 1,000 students from this county participated in this study. Results from Structural Equation Modeling suggest that none of these five spatial subscales is significantly related to basic level spatial ability. Computer experiences have a significant effect on middle and high level spatial ability for both males and females. Music experiences significantly relate to high level spatial ability and this significant effect is invariant across gender. However, the significant relationship between music experiences and middle level spatial ability is significant only for males, not for females. In contrast, art experiences and middle level spatial ability are found to be significantly correlated only for females, but not for males. No significant relationships are detected between spatial activities, family spatial opportunity and middle or high level spatial ability. Implications of the results from this study and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Ayres D'Costa (Advisor)

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tang, M. (2006). Gender differences in relationsip between background experiences and three levels of spatial ability [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155573195

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tang, Meiling. Gender differences in relationsip between background experiences and three levels of spatial ability. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155573195.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tang, Meiling. "Gender differences in relationsip between background experiences and three levels of spatial ability." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155573195

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1155573195
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.