• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.116-129
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• 2019

This study investigated elementary students' spatial thinking and visualization when they learned the shape of volcanoes. For this purpose we used GeoMapApp to design instruction program and assessment items. In the instruction, students were asked to connect the floor plan view of Jeju island with the cross-sectional view of the same figure producted by GeoMapApp. Then they were asked to classify four sets of pictures of volcanoes based on the similarities of figures, that is, dome-shaped and shield volcanoes. In the assessment students solved three questions which examined how they connected the plan view and cross-sectional profile of Kilauea, draw cross-sectional profile of Mt. Fuji, and distinguished a shield volcano and dome-shaped one. Students' discourse data during the class were analyzed according to the amount to showing their spatial thinking and visualization. The instruction program using GeoMapApp assisted students to facilitate their spatial thinking for understanding of volcanoes. The outcomes of assessment showed even elementary students had good spatial thinking and visualization. Therefore, we argued spatial thinking and visualization for geoscientific understanding need to be included in the national science curriculum for elementary students.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.390-406
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• 2021

This study investigated how elementary students with different spatial ability constructed spatial thinking process about on volcanoes and earthquakes with GeoMapApp-based materials. Students' spatial thinking process was analyzed in terms of spatial concept recognized, tools of spatial representation, and their spatial reasoning to construct topographic structure. The student group with high-scored spatial ability showed the spatial reasoning based on internal representation of building mental images through sectional division of horizontal distance, directly connected with spatial concept, or distorting spatial concept. The student group with low-scored spatial ability built the spatial reasoning directly connected with spatial concept instead of transforming into internal representation, and partially recognized spatial concept on either distance or depth. Based on the results, we argued identifying spatial concepts such as distance, height, or depth from the GeoMapApp data would be funda- mental for the better spatial thinking.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.820-844
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• 2010

This study investigates the effect of GIS-integrated lessons on spatial thinking abilities and geographical skills using discourse analysis along with a comparative three-case case study method. A series of curricula were designed and implemented in an 8th grade classroom for a semester. The data collected consist of the dialogue transcripts of six consecutive GIS-integrated lessons. The transcripts were analyzed to identify the moves (speech acts) used by each student and to classify discourse content of spatial thinking and geographical skills. Based on three individual case studies, a cross-case study was performed to uncover any relationship between the phenomenon and the contexts. The empirical evidence from discourse analysis demonstrated that students were able to generate appropriate terms representative of spatial thinking and geographical skills although students appeared to possess primarily lower-order spatial abilities, followed by a moderate-level of spatial abilities. Considering that the unit was implemented in a biology class rather than a geography class the result reflected the fact that the student's spatial thinking and geographical skills were attributable to the GIS-integrated lessons. Thus, the results have a great implication for GIS-integrated lessons and geography education as an innovative tool for improving student's spatial thinking and geographical skills.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

This study aims to recognize that creative thinking methodologies can be adopted in the spatial design. The concept of 'Convergent' and 'Divergent' used in structure of intellect model by Guilford is chosen to understand the character of creative thinking methodologies. Technical and physical contradictions is analyzed for '40 inventive principles' of TRIZ and spatial design works. Through this study, we recognize that the creative thinking methodologies consist of analysis, idea generation and evaluation phase. The psychological inertia that limits the creative thinking should be move away from solving problem, and convergent and divergent thinking have peculiarities to be adopted in condition and to be harmonized, and to set the direction of solving technical problems through to reach the target point integrated way of thinking is needed. '40 inventive principles' by Altshuller are based on engineering and useful in many areas of fields. However some principles are not accepted in design process because these are not considered in design field and paradigm is changed from machine to nature. Nowadays, nature is a prime issue for sustainable human life, because it has sustainable recycle structure and saving energy ways. Thus, creative thinking, including TRIZ is useful in design education and progress, and should be an essential element to get a new design paradigm.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.531-547
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• 2013

The purpose of the study is to examine how effects of activities using Google SketchUp on students' spatial ability and 3D geometric thinking in measuring the volume of solid figures. By comparing the results from pre- and post-tests between the experimental group and control group, we found that activities using Google SketchUp help students improve their spatial ability in the spatial orientation and visualization. In addition, more than half students in the experimental group moved from level 4 up to level 7 in thinking process of measuring the volume in terms of Battista(2004)'s levels. This study suggests that the instruction with Google SketchUp can help to improve students' spatial ability and 3D geometric thinking in the regular class in middle school. In addition, SketchUp can be an advanced technological tool to support students' self-directed learning, which create an efficient educational environment and a great opportunity to learn geometry in an effective manner.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.501-520
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• 2022

Considering the importance of spatial thinking in the process of learning astronomy, it is necessary to educate pre-service teachers on teaching methods that consider spatial thinking from the teacher training program stage. Accordingly, after providing education on spatial thinking to pre-service science teachers, problems and improvement plans perceived by them were explored for the images and inquiry activities of astronomy textbook units. In this study, spatial thinking in the astronomical domain was defined as the amalgam of the concepts of space, representation tools, and reasoning processes. The juniors attending the University of Education in the metropolitan area were educated on spatial thinking for two weeks in October 2021. They were then asked to voluntarily select one of the astronomy units to analyze problems in the textbooks and present modification plans to address those problems. Finally, 33 cases presented by 22 pre-service science teachers were analyzed, and the results of the study were as follows. Pre-service teachers recognized the problems in textbooks in terms of the concepts of space and reasoning processes, and proposed improvement plans to supplement them. However, in some cases, even if pre-service teachers properly recognized a problem, the improvement plan was not appropriate, or they were not able to analyze the images or inquiry activities in terms of spatial thinking. This study is significant in that it shows that pre-service teachers have the potential to properly reorganize and revise textbooks by participating in teacher training programs on spatial thinking. Furthermore, based on the results of this study, the direction of the teacher training program concerning spatial thinking was discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-144
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the astronomical thinking level of elementary, middle, and high school students using ordered multiple choice items. For this purpose, we constructed a questionnaire comprising three items about spatial thinking and system thinking. This survey was conducted and applied to 1,066 students in the 5th grade, 8th grade, and 11th grade in 12 schools located in Gangwon Province. The collected student response data were analyzed by applying inferential statistics of classical test theory and Rasch model. The results of the analysis were as follows; First, in the level of spatial thinking, students were able to grasp the spatial location and orientation of the celestial body, but were not able to convert the celestial motion of two-dimensional plane into three-dimensional plane, and it was revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in the spatial thinking of students among grade levels. Second, in the level of system thinking, students were able to identify the components and relationship between components of the celestial motion system, but could not identify the patterns of the system, and it was revealed that there was statistically significant difference among the system thinking of students in different grade levels, unlike in spatial thinking. Third, the astronomical thinking expressed in certain context (content) was very similar regardless of grade level, Through this, we could confirm the context-dependency or content-dependency of the astronomical thinking of students. It is expected that the results of this study can be used as basic data for exploring ways to enhance astronomical thinking level in school science classes.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.179-197
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• 2015

Based on the importance of spatial thinking to understand celestial motion, this study aimed to investigate how spatial thinking was treated in astronomy classes. For this study, we analyzed four elementary teachers' science classes about the unit 'solar systems and stars' in 5th grade in terms of spatial thinking. The results showed that sharing perspectives and orientation explicitly between a teacher and students were important for students to understand celestial motion. Providing the earth-based and the space-based viewpoints simultaneously were helpful for students' understanding of celestial motion. Based on these results, this study suggested that clarifying the viewpoint and orientation, showing the earth-based and the space-based viewpoint simultaneously, and reorganizing the relative units of astronomy based on celestial motion and spatial thinking.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.275-290
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• 2014

This study investigated the types of the 3D geometric thinking and spatial reasoning through the observation of the 2D representing activities for representing the 3D geometrical objects with preservice secondary mathematics teachers. For this purpose, the 43 sophomoric students in college of education were divided into 10 groups and observed their group task performance on the basis of the representation they used. Observed processes were all recorded and the participants were interviewed based on the task. As a result, the role of physical object that becoming the object of geometric thinking and spatial reasoning, and diverse strategies and phenomena of the process that representing the 3D geometric figures in 2D were discovered. Furthermore, these processes of representing were assumed to be influenced by experience and study practice of students, and various forms of representing process were also discovered in the process of small group activities.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.730-738
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• 2022

Based on visual Thinking theory, VR(virtual reality) game changes the traditional form of memory and maps the content into game elements to realize the immersive spatial memory mode. This paper analyzes the influencing factors of game design and system function construction. This paper proposes a hypothesis: with the help of visual thinking theory, VR game is helpful to improve learners' visual memory, and carries out research. The experiment sets different levels of game through empirical research and case analysis of memory flip game. For example, when judging two random cards. If the pictures are the same, it will be judged as the correct combination; if they are different, the two cards will be restored to the original state. The results are analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis and AMOS data analysis. The results show that game content using the concept of "Memory Palace", which can improve the accuracy of memory. We conclude that the use of spatial localization characteristics in flip games combining visual thinking can improve users' memory by helping users memorize and organize information in a Virtual environment, which means VR games have strong feasibility and effectiveness in improving memory.