A search for literature around the topic of how visual-spatial learners learn revealed support for the idea that many research studies have been designed with an underlying assumption that all individuals utilise essentially the same cognitive processes as they learn. This viewpoint has been brought into question by findings of recent
neurological research that suggests distinct differences can be seen which may explain variances in visible learning behaviours.
2.4.1 A Different Way of Learning
In an article that discussed differences in neurology shown up by a functional
magnetic imaging resonance (fMRI) brain imaging study of reading disabled college students with nonverbal IQs in the superior range when compared with gifted students without the learning disability, Gilger and Olulade (2013) posit that there are
significant differences in gifted dyslexic or twice exceptional students (Eide & Eide, 2006; McClain and Pfeiffer, 2012; Pfeiffer, 2002). The results of fMRI testing suggests that gifted reading disabled students have approached problems through different neurological pathways to non disabled gifted students, supporting the idea that individual students utilise very different ways of learning. Gilger and Olulade draw attention to the tendency for research on twice exceptionality to draw on models of pathology that propose a disorder or deficit rather than drawing on a model of different variant of brain structuring. Gilger and Olulade also make the suggestion that these differences in neurology could mean that visual-spatial strengths that exist early in life can be adversely affected by lack of use as learners are forced instead to use their atypical right hemisphere brain functions to compensate for language deficiencies in a remedial environment. Expecting that remediation will ‘cure’ their difference places them under unwarranted emotional and cognitive stress. Because they learn differently they require different teaching methods that “revolve around thorough psychometric testing and educational plans that build upon and develop strengths, using these strengths to remediate deficits, and provide alternative testing methods best adapted to the student’s cognitive-academic profile” (Gilger & Olulade, 2013, p. 243) in order to reach equitable outcomes.
Other research uncovered during the literature review phase of this study also
supported that researchers based their work upon the assumption that all learners learn in the same way. Wang and Barrow (2010) explored how students’ ability to generate and use a mental model affected their competence in analysing and solving problems. It is assumed in their research that development and mastery of the ability to construct and reason using mental models is something that requires a lot of practice and mental effort (Seel, Ifenthaler & Pirnay-Dummer, 2008). However Wang and Barrow’s study used adult university students, therefore their subjects had successfully
navigated the education system with its contingent necessity to be able to easily learn from verbal texts. Referencing the earlier description of VSL characteristics
(Silverman, 1995, 2002; Maxwell in Silverman, 2002), VSLs are described as having visual and spatial strengths at the expense of the auditory sequential abilities required to easily manage traditional classroom learning. Consequently, it would seem likely that in terms of an auditory sequential and visual-spatial continuum of abilities, the learners used in Wang and Barrow’s study were either well balanced, or favoured an auditory sequential processing style. Possibly, it could be said of VSLs that not only is development and mastery of the ability to construct and reason using mental models easy for them, for many it may in fact be their natural and preferred means of
processing information.
As stated earlier, much of the research that has been carried out into the use of visual- spatial abilities has been done around the assumption that learning takes place in the same basic way for every individual, with variance in specific skill levels affecting a learner’s success. Hindal, Reid and Badgaish (2009) suggest that we need to pay attention to the diversity of ways by which children learn or we risk never discovering many of their abilities. They refer to Leyden’s (1990) suggestion that “while all learning requires the processing of information, the detailed variations in the way information is processed and stored are important” (Hindal et al., 2009, pg 187).
2.4.2 Changing Values
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence test, created in 1916 to measure scholastic
intelligence, was designed around the valuing at that time of linguistic and logical- mathematical skills and this narrow view of intelligence has persisted in spite of
attempts by many to broaden it. Gardner, for example, included spatial intelligence in his Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, 1983) as one of seven original distinct “intelligences” that function independently of each other. While most children have an uneven profile of ability across these areas, the concept of intellectual asynchrony inherent in gifted children means they are likely to show even greater levels of uneven development. Multiple Intelligences theory proposes that educators should identify children’s areas of strength and then seek to support and develop these. The rationale behind Multiple Intelligences theory is to provoke thought on the part of educators such that they provide a rich and diverse learning environment that is more responsive to the intellectual strengths and working styles of individual students, enabling them to explore and learn in ways that work best for them (von Karolyi, Ramos-Ford & Gardner, 2003).
2.4.3 Providing Practice Opportunities to Enhance Spatial Skills
Von Karolyi (2013) wrote about research into how mental rotation abilities might be improved. There was a wide variance in findings over how much benefit training and practice provided, and many studies involved participants with low or average spatial ability, or focused on the difference between males and females. However,
participation in physical activity that involves spatial experiences was found to enhance spatial skills, for example certain sports (Moreau, Mansy-Dannay, Clerc & Guerrien, 2010) and also computer gaming (Newcombe, Uttal & Sauter, 2013). Von Karolyi notes the lack of development opportunities in traditional school curriculum for gifted visual-spatial learners (Wai et al., 2009; Web, Lubinski and Benbow, 2007) who she recognises as an underserved population. She recommends that educators, parents and programmes for the gifted should provide spatial experiences that develop mental rotation skills and also suggests spatially gifted students be encouraged into practice, training and experience opportunities in STEM-related activities in order that their spatial abilities can be recognised, valued and developed (von Karolyi, 2013).