Study of Spatial Abilities in High-School Students

Abstract

This paper shows the results derived from the research focused on evaluating the spatial abilities presented by the students of a center of the Community of Madrid, Spain. For this, a test of twelve questions was carried out, with an approximate duration of 10 minutes, in which three blocks of questions were distinguished, each of them related to a different spatial ability: relation of three-dimensional figures with their development in 2D, spatial rotation of three-dimensional figures and section produced by a plane in 3D figures. In a first analysis of the results, differences are observed in the ability of the students to solve the different types of problems, with the section-by-plane exercises in which the worst results were obtained. On the other hand, when focusing attention on the sex variable, differences are observed in the results, since, especially in the case of spatial rotation, men obtained better scores than women. In this way, with this case study, a possible research route is opened, since if the sample is enlarged and representative results are obtained, one could know first-hand the real difficulties presented by the high-school students in spatial skills; which would ultimately help rethink the subjects of the graphic subjects with the idea of improving the development of these skills.