IMPACTS OF EXPLICIT SPATIAL TRAINING TO INCREASE EFFICACY, VALUE AND SUCCESS IN INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY COURSES

Spatial skills have been repeatedly correlated with entrance, persistence and success in STEM fields, and are especially valuable to geologists. While the importance of these skills is known, explicit spatial training is rarely offered. This lack of training can be particularly impactful for underrepresented groups in the geosciences. Because these skills may serve as a filter for who joins and is successful in the geosciences, the lack of intentional spatial training is a clear problem that needs to be addressed. Studies have repeatedly shown that spatial skills can be improved with practice. Early training to improve these skills ensures that the most students are able to be successful and fully participate in their STEM courses.

This study investigates the research question: do students who complete spatial training modules significantly improve their final course grade, self-efficacy, and/or value compared to the control group? If so, what are the effect sizes of these changes and is there a minimum number of trainings needed to achieve this effect? We examined student responses to a spatial training intervention through the lens of Situated Expectancy Value Theory, which posits that improving self-efficacy and value will impact achievement-related choices and overall success.

In this case study, over 900 introductory level geology students were randomly divided into control and experimental groups over four semesters. Those in the experimental group were assigned ten spatial training exercises created and validated by Gold et al. (2018). Students in the control group completed assignments similar in the amount of time required. Control group assignments included content typical for an introductory geology class, but did not explicitly provide spatial training. Completion of either the control or experimental assignments accounted for five percent of the students’ final grade in the course. A five-section survey was used at the beginning and end of the course to measure efficacy and value in the students’ geology course, and in science overall, drawing from existing work from Glynn et al. (2011) and Hiller and Kitsantas (2016). Findings from this work provide insights into the degree to which spatial training supports achievement-related choices and overall success in introductory geology courses.