ERIC Number: EJ857367
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-1341
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Evaluating Geography Textbook Questions from a Spatial Perspective: Using Concepts of Space, Tools of Representation, and Cognitive Processes to Evaluate Spatiality
Jo, Injeong; Bednarz, Sarah Witham
Journal of Geography, v108 n1 p4-13 2009
This article examines whether questions embedded in geography textbooks address three components of spatial thinking: concepts of space, tools of representation, and processes of reasoning. A three-dimensional taxonomy of spatial thinking was developed and used to evaluate questions in four high school level geography textbooks. The results indicate that textbook questions focus on low-level spatial concepts more frequently than high-level spatial concepts; few questions require students to create various kinds of spatial representations; and textbook questions only rarely encourage higher-order cognitive skills. The study provides insights on the design and use of textbook questions to foster learning to think spatially. (Contains 2 tables and 5 figures.)
Descriptors: Textbooks, Cognitive Processes, Geography Instruction, Spatial Ability, Classification, Thinking Skills, High Schools, Content Analysis, Instructional Material Evaluation, Textbook Content, Questioning Techniques, Teaching Methods, Geographic Concepts, World Geography, Evaluation Criteria, Evaluation Methods
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A