@article{1d5813c635ce4725aeb819afaeecffa3,
title = "Can a Domain-General Spatial Intervention Facilitate Children{\textquoteright}s Science Learning? A Lesson From Astronomy",
abstract = "Correlational studies link spatial-test scores and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics achievement. Here we asked whether children{\textquoteright}s understanding of astronomical phenomena would benefit from a prior intervention targeting a core component of children{\textquoteright}s projective spatial concepts—understanding that viewers{\textquoteright} visual experiences are affected by vantage point. Children (8–9 years; N = 66) received outdoor and indoor experiences that did (Experimental) or did not (Control) focus on how scene appearance is affected by viewers' positions and movements. All then received an astronomy lesson about celestial motions (e.g., Sun apparent motion). Experimental-group children scored higher on immediate and 1-week perspective-taking tests and explained celestial phenomena more accurately than did control-group children. Data demonstrate that general spatial training—divorced from specific science content—can aid children{\textquoteright}s subsequent learning of scientific phenomena.",
author = "Bower, {Corinne A.} and Liben, {Lynn S.}",
note = "Funding Information: The data for this project were collected by the first author under the supervision of the second author in fulfilment of the dissertation requirement of Penn State{\textquoteright}s developmental psychology doctoral program. We appreciate the many thoughtful contributions of dissertation committee members Julia Plummer, Richard Carlson, and Rick Gilmore. We are grateful to the participants involved in this research and to the members of the Cognitive and Social Development Lab at Penn State for their many contributions to data collection, entry, and coding. This work was funded by Penn State grants to Corinne A. Bower from the Child Study Center{\textquoteright}s Faris Endowment and from a College of the Liberal Arts Research and Graduate Studies Office dissertation grant. Portions of this work were presented at the meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development; Jean Piaget Society; and the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Society for Research in Child Development",
year = "2021",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1111/cdev.13439",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "92",
pages = "76--100",
journal = "Child development",
issn = "0009-3920",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",
number = "1",
}