A strategy for the improvement of spatial thinking in undergraduate Geography at South African universities

Abstract

Spatial thinking allows a person to use space to structure problems, model the real world, and identify and communicate possible solutions to challenges. Research proved a strong correlation between students studying Geography modules and their ability to think spatially. This research aims to develop a strategy for improving the teaching and learning of spatial thinking in undergraduate Geography modules presented at South African universities. The first objective was to determine the extent and nature of the incorporation of spatial thinking into the syllabi of undergraduate modules. The second objective was to critically assess the methods used by lecturers to convey module content to students and their disposition towards teaching spatial thinking. The third objective critically reflects on the spatiality of the assessment questions and the students’ spatial thinking capabilities. The last objective was to develop a strategy for improving spatial thinking in undergraduate Geography modules. The AQAL model of Integral theory was used to deal with the complexity of this research, which involves multiple perspectives and various data collection methods. Purposive sampling was used to identify geography departments that would participate in this research. The taxonomy of spatial thinking was used to evaluate the spatiality of module outcomes and assessments. In-depth interviews were conducted with lecturers, and their disposition to teach spatial thinking was determined through a questionnaire. The students’ spatial thinking capabilities were gauged by completing the spatial thinking ability test (STAT). The results indicate that the outcomes and assessments of the selected modules may not contribute towards developing students’ spatial thinking skills. Encouraging is that the lectures employ various teaching methods that should contribute towards developing students’ spatial thinking skills and demonstrate a positive disposition to do so. Although the sample size was small, the results of the STAT indicated that students have relatively poor spatial thinking skills. The strategy for spatial thinking allows for the inclusion of spatial thinking in module outcomes, conveying content to students, the lecturers’ disposition and improving the spatiality of assessment questions. This research calls on universities to implement the strategy for improved spatial thinking as part of undergraduate Geography curricula and recommit to teaching spatial thinking to undergraduate students.

Ruimtelike denke laat ‘n mens toe om ruimte te gebruik om probleme te struktureer, die werklike lewe te modelleer, en moontlike oplossings tot uitdagings te identifiseer en te kommunikeer. Navorsing het bewys dat daar ‘n sterk verband is tussen studente wat Geografiemodules studeer en hulle ruimtelike denkvermoë. Hierdie navorsing het gepoog om ‘n strategie te ontwikkel om die onderrig en aanleer van ruimtelike denke in voorgraadse Geografiemodules van Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite te verbeter. Die eerste doelwit was om die omvang en aard van die insluiting van ruimtelike denke in die leergange van voorgraadse modules te bepaal. Die tweede doelwit was om die metodes wat dosente gebruik om die inhoud van die module aan studente oor te dra, sowel as hul ingesteldheid om ruimtelike denke te onderrig, te evalueer. Die derde doelwit was om krities na te dink oor die ruimtelikheid van die assesseringsvrae wat in sulke modules gestel word, asook die student se ruimtelike denkvermoë. Die laaste doelwit was om ‘n strategie te onwikkel om ruimtelike denke in voorgraadse Geografiemodules te verbeter. Die AQAL-model van integrale teorie is gebruik om die kompleksiteit van hierdie navorsing te behartig, wat veelvuldige perspektiewe en verskillende data-insamelingsmetodes ingesluit het. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om ’n Geografiedepartement te identifiseer om aan hierdie navorsing deel te neem. Die taksonomie van ruimtelike denke is gebruik om die ruimtelikheid van module-uitkomste en assesserings te evalueer. Indringende onderhoude is met dosente gevoer, en hulle ingesteldheid oor die onderrig van ruimtelike denke is met behulp van ‘n vraelys bepaal. Die studente se ruimtelike denkvermoëns is deur middel van die ruimtelikedenkvermoënstoets bepaal. Die resultate dui aan dat die uitkomste en assessering van die geselekteerde modules kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van studente se ruimtelike denkvaardighede. Dit is bemoedigend dat die dosente verskillende onderrigmetodes gebruik wat sal bydra tot die ontwikkeling van studente se ruimtelike denkvaardighede en dat hulle ‘n positiewe ingesteldheid het om dit te doen. Alhoewel die steekproefgrootte klein was, het die uitslae van die ruimtelikedenkvermoënstoets aangedui dat die studente relatief swak ruimtelike denkvaardighede gehad het. Die strategie vir ruimtelike denke maak dit moontlik om ruimtelike denke by module-uitkomste in te sluit, inhoud aan student oor te dra, en die dosente se ingesteldheid en die ruimtelikheid van assesseringsvrae te verbeter. Hierdie navorsing doen ‘n beroep op universiteite om die strategie te implementeer om ruimtelike denke te verbeter as deel van die leergange van voorgraadse Geografiemodule en om hulle te herverbind tot die onderrig van ruimtelike denke aan voorgraadse studente.

Ukucabanga ngendawo kuvumela umuntu ukuthi asebenzise indawo ukuze ahlele izinkinga, enze imodeli yomhlaba wangempela, futhi akhombe futhi axhumane nezixazululo ezingaba khona ezinseleleni. Ucwaningo lufakazele ukuhlobana okuqinile phakathi kwabafundi abafunda amamojuli eJografi kanye nekhono labo lokucabanga ngokwendawo. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukwakha isu lokuthuthukisa ukufundisa nokufunda kokucabanga ngendawo kumamojuli angaphansi kweJografi ethulwa emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso yokuqala kwakuwukunquma izinga kanye nemvelo yokufakwa kokucabanga kwendawo kusilabhasi yamamojuli yabenza iziqu okokuqala. Inhloso yesibili kwakuwukuhlola ngokucophelela izindlela ezisetshenziswa abafundisi ukuze badlulisele okuqukethwe kwemojuli kubafundi kanye nesimo sabo sokufundisa ukucabanga ngendawo. Inhloso yesithathu ikhombisa ngokujulile ubungako bendawo bemibuzo yokuhlola ebekwe kulawo mamojuli kanye nekhono lokucabanga lendawo labafundi. Inhloso yokugcina bekuwukusungula isu lokuthuthukisa ukucabanga kwendawo kumamojuli angaphansi kweJografi. Imodeli ye-AQAL yethiyori Edidiyelwe yasetshenziswa ukuze kubhekwane nobunkimbinkimbi balolu cwaningo, olubandakanya imibono eminingi kanye nezindlela ezihlukahlukene zokuqoqa idatha. Kusetshenziswe amasampula okuhlosiwe ukuhlonza iminyango yeJografi ezobamba iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Ithakzonomi yokucabanga kwendawo yasetshenziselwa ukuhlola indawo yemiphumela yamamojuli nokuhlola. Izingxoxo ezijulile zenziwa nabafundisi, futhi isimo sabo sengqondo ekufundiseni ukucabanga kwendawo sanqunywa ngohlu lwemibuzo. Amandla okucabanga ngendawo wabafundi akalwa ngokuthi baqedele ukuhlolwa kwekhono lokucabanga lendawo (UKLL). Imiphumela ibonisa ukuthi imiphumela nokuhlolwa kwamamojulI akhethiwe kungase kungabi negalelo ekuthuthukiseni amakhono abafundi okucabanga ngendawo. Kuyakhuthaza nokho ukuthi abafundisi basebenzise izindlela ezahlukene zokufundisa okufanele zibe negalelo ekuthuthukiseni amakhono abafundi okucabanga ngendawo, nokuthi babonise isimo sengqondo esihle ekwenzeni kanjalo. Nakuba usayizi wesampula wawumncane, imiphumela yo-UKLL ibonise ukuthi abafundi banamakhono ampofu okucabanga ngendawo. Isu lokucabanga ngendawo livumela ukufakwa kokucabanga ngendawo emiphumeleni yamamojuli, ukudlulisa okuqukethwe kubafundi, isimo sabafundisi kanye nokwenza ngcono indawo yemibuzo yokuhlola. Lolu cwaningo lwelula isandla nakwamanye amanyuvesi ukuthi asebenzise isu lokucabanga okuthuthukisiwe ngendawo njengengxenye yezifundo zeJografi futhi azibophezele ekufundiseni ukucabanga ngendawo kubafundi abenza iziqu zokuqala.