ThinkSpace Labs

ThinkSpace Research Team
ThinkSpace Advisory Board Meeting with Research Team. September 16, 2016

 

Critical breakthroughs in science originated with those scientists' ability to think spatially, and research has shown that spatial ability correlates strongly with likelihood of entering a career in STEM. "Thinking Spatially about the Universe" is an NSF-funded project that developed and studied middle school lab units designed to teach spatial abilities using a blend of physical and virtual models. In "ThinkSpace" labs, students explore 3-dimensional astronomical phenomena in ways that support both understanding of these topics and a more general spatial ability. ThinkSpace addresses two main research questions: 1) How can spatial tasks that blend physical and virtual models be embedded into a STEM curriculum in ways that lead to significant improvements in spatial thinking? and 2) How can practitioners optimize design of interactive, dynamic visualizations for teaching spatially complex concepts? (DRL-1503395)

Thinking Spatially about the Universe Publications

In Press

Udomprasert P, Goodman A, Ladd E, Offner S, Houghton H, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Plummer J, Wright E, Sadler P, et al. WorldWide Telescope in Education. In: Impey C, Buxner S, editors. Astronomy Education - A Practitioner’s Guide to the Research. Bristol, UK: IOP Publishing .
Udomprasert P, Goodman A, Ladd E, Offner S, Houghton H, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Plummer J, Wright E, Sadler P, et al. WorldWide Telescope in Education. In: Impey C, Buxner S, editors. Astronomy Education - A Practitioner’s Guide to the Research. Bristol, UK: IOP Publishing .

2019

Vaishampayan, Plummer J, Udomprasert P, Sunbury S. Use of spatial sensemaking practices in spatial learning. In: 13th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. Vols. 2. Lyon, France: A Wide Lens: Combining Embodied, Enactive, Extended, and Embedded Learning in Collaborative Settings; 2019.
Vaishampayan, Plummer J, Udomprasert P, Sunbury S. Use of spatial sensemaking practices in spatial learning. In: 13th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. Vols. 2. Lyon, France: A Wide Lens: Combining Embodied, Enactive, Extended, and Embedded Learning in Collaborative Settings; 2019.

2018

Houghton H. WorldWide Telescope: The Universe in Your Hands. AstroBeat. 2018;(164).
Houghton H. WorldWide Telescope: The Universe in Your Hands. AstroBeat. 2018;(164).
Vaishampayan A, Plummer J, Cho K, Udomprasert P, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Houghton H, Wright E, Zhang H, Goodman A. Thinking Spatially: Improving Middle-school Students’ Use of Perspective Taking Through an Astronomy Curriculum. In: National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA; 2018.
Vaishampayan A, Plummer J, Cho K, Udomprasert P, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Houghton H, Wright E, Zhang H, Goodman A. Thinking Spatially: Improving Middle-school Students’ Use of Perspective Taking Through an Astronomy Curriculum. In: National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA; 2018.

2017

Vaishampayan A, Plummer J, Cho K, Udomprasert P, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Houghton H, Wright E, Zhang H, Goodman A. The Role of Perspective Taking in How Middle School Students Explain Lunar Phases. In: National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX; 2017.
Vaishampayan A, Plummer J, Cho K, Udomprasert P, Johnson E, Sunbury S, Houghton H, Wright E, Zhang H, Goodman A. The Role of Perspective Taking in How Middle School Students Explain Lunar Phases. In: National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX; 2017.

Thinking Spatially about the Universe Presentations

2019

Use of spatial sense-making practices in spatial learning. 2019.
Use of spatial sense-making practices in spatial learning. 2019.
ThinkSpace Labs: Teaching Seasons and Moon Phases with WorldWide Telescope. 2019.
ThinkSpace Labs: Teaching Seasons and Moon Phases with WorldWide Telescope. 2019.

2018

Thinking Spatially about the Universe: A Physical and Virtual Laboratory for Middle School Science: Year 3. 2018.
Thinking Spatially about the Universe: A Physical and Virtual Laboratory for Middle School Science: Year 3. 2018.
WorldWide Telescope in Education Overview. 2018.
WorldWide Telescope in Education Overview. 2018.

2017

Thinking Spatially about the Universe: A Physical and Virtual Laboratory for Middle School Science: Year 1. 2017.
Thinking Spatially about the Universe: A Physical and Virtual Laboratory for Middle School Science: Year 1. 2017.

2016

The role of perspective taking in how students explain lunar phases: Development of an analytical framework. 2016.
The role of perspective taking in how students explain lunar phases: Development of an analytical framework. 2016.
ThinkSpace: Spatial Thinking in Middle School Astronomy Labs. 2016.
ThinkSpace: Spatial Thinking in Middle School Astronomy Labs. 2016.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-1502798 and DRL-1503395. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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