Program

Thursday

8:30 - 8:45 Introductions and overview of the workshop agenda and goals

8:45 - 9:15 What is spatial thinking? (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 137kB Jul20 16) How are spatial skills measured? What do we know about developing spatial skills/expertise?

9:15 - 10:15 Module 1: Penetrative Thinking: Visualizing Interiors (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 1.7MB Jul20 16)

• General introduction to the literature and depth and applicability of research
• Hands-on exploration of instruments and techniques for measuring spatial reasoning
  • Example items from several assessment instruments (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 621kB Jul17 16)
  • Geologic Block Cross-sectioning Test, pre-test, v. 7 (Acrobat (PDF) 1.6MB Jul21 16)
  • Geologic Block Cross-sectioning Test, post-test, v. 7 (Acrobat (PDF) 1.6MB Jul21 16)
  • Geologic Block Cross-sectioning Test, answer key for v. 7 (Excel 2007 (.xlsx) 74kB Jul21 16)
• Exploration of teaching strategies and tools
  • Spatial Thinking workbook
  • Steve Reynolds' Interactive 3D Geologic Blocks
  • Rowan Cockett's Visible Geology
  • See all of the search results for teaching activities related to "penetrative thinking" on the SERC website

10:15 - 10:30 Break

10:30 - 11:30 Module 2: Mental Rotation (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 2.7MB Jul21 16)

• General introduction to the literature and depth and applicability of research
• Hands-on exploration of instruments and techniques for measuring spatial reasoning
• Exploration of teaching strategies and tools

11:30 Adjourn for the day

• Roadcheck
• Minute paper: What's one thing you learned today that you'll use in your teaching? How will you use it?

Friday

8:30 - 8:45 Summary of ideas from the minute paper

8:45 - 9:45 Module 3: Topographic (and other contour) maps (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 894kB Jul22 16)

• General introduction to the literature and depth and applicability of research
• Hands-on exploration of instruments and techniques for measuring spatial reasoning
• Exploration of teaching strategies and tools
  • WILSIM: Web-based Interactive Landform Simulation Model
  • Steve Reynolds' Visualizing Topography (more info)
  • Rowan Cockett's Visible Geology
  • Teaching activities on the SERC website:
    • Skill puzzles by Sarah Titus and Eric Horsman
    • Water Table Contours and Contamination CogSketch geoscience worksheet
    • Contour Basics
    • Contour Mapping with Playdoh
    • See all of the search results for teaching activities related to "contours" on the SERC website

9:45 - 10:00 Break

10:00 - 11:10 Small group discussions of topics of interest; individual exploration of resources

• Work time to begin developing action plans, individually or collectively
• Small group discussions:
  • Developing teaching materials for map reading
  • Developing teaching materials for Mineralogy
  • Scaffolding graph reading skills
  • Brainstorming research questions

11:10 - 11:20 Participants share resources / ideas and thoughts about next steps

11:20 Workshop evaluation

11:30 Adjourn