EFFECTIVENESS OF SPATIAL TRAINING IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL: EVERYONE LEARNS

Visuospatial processing is key to achieve optimal performance in academic activities, among others. In the field of spatial cognition, it has been found that practice with spatial tasks can reduce the gender gap in this type of reasoning. However, an increase in spatial scores does not always compensate the differences that exist between participants with greater and lesser spatial abilities. According to previous studies on individual differences and malleability in spatial cognition, comparable studies are needed in children and adolescents using the same evaluation and training method. 39 students of Primary Education (study 1: 17 boys and 22 girls) and 21 of Secondary Education (study 2: 11 boys and 10 girls) participated in this study. The evolution profile through three sessions in a mental rotation (RM) training was analyzed, as well as the degree of improvement produced based on their initial spatial performance, analyzing the gender factor. In both groups, a spatial intervention (Mental Rotation Training Program) was applied during three consecutive sessions with an average duration of 35 minutes per session. For both age groups, participants with a low spatial level benefited at a similar rate to those participants with more spatial resources. This result was replicated for both sexes. This research will serve as a starting point to promote and implement adaptive and personalized training, and thus be able to help those who have fewer spatial skills. These types of interventions would become more effective and could maximize educational potential in the most disadvantaged groups.