2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Visuospatial and Embodied Cognition in STEM Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Presented at Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 23

This systematic literature review explores the concept of embodied cognition, which asserts that the human mind is interconnected with the physical body, and learning occurs through direct engagements with the surrounding world. Within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, embodied cognition theory has attracted growing interest as a methodology for improving learning and cultivating effective problem-solving abilities. This paper aims to provide current understanding and advancements in visuospatial skills. These skills are recognized to play a critical role in achieving and acquiring knowledge in STEM disciplines. The review used Scopus and Web of Science databases to search for high-quality papers related to spatial skills and embodied cognition. Through the utilization of the PRISMA 2020 protocol, over five thousand papers were narrowed down to 42 relevant ones that were included for further analysis. Thematic analysis was then employed to identify key themes related to embodied cognition, visuospatial skills, and STEM, which revealed that most research involving embodied cognition in STEM education was conducted at the elementary and middle school level with the greatest focus on mathematics learning. These findings indicate that visuomotor skills have a substantial impact on gaining success in mathematics, which is crucial for a foundation in engineering.

Authors

Mrs. Fadhla B. Junus http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0181-997X Purdue University [biography]

Fadhla Junus, a third-year Ph.D. student at Purdue University's School of Engineering Education, brings a unique blend of industry experience and academic expertise to her research on technology-enhanced learning, specifically in developing personalized learning environments for higher-education computer programming students. She is interested in investigating how students learn computer programming, how to make learning computer programs easier, what theories support designing programming instruction, and how to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology for peer-like knowledge construction.
Junior Anthony Bennett http://orcid.org/https://0009-0004-6441-3805 Purdue University [biography]

I am a Graduate Research Assistant, and Lynn Fellow pursuing an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Engineering Education majoring in Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) at Purdue University, West Lafayette IN. I earned a Bachelor of Education in TVET Industrial Technology – Electrical from the University of Technology, Jamaica, and a Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering Systems from the Western Illinois University. I am a Certified Manufacturing Engineer with the Society for Manufacturing Engineers and have over a decade professional experience in higher education across Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Dr. Theresa Green Purdue University [biography]

Dr. Theresa Green is a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University with a Ph.D. in Engineering Education. Her research interests include K-12 STEM integration, curriculum development, and improving diversity and inclusion in engineering.
Dr. Jason Morphew http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5971-214X Purdue University [biography]

Jason W. Morphew is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. He earned a B.S. in Science Education from the University of Nebraska and spent 11 years teaching math and science at the middle school, high school, and community college level. He earned a M.A. in Educational Psychology from Wichita State and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Prof. Ruth Wertz http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-9698-3392 Purdue University [biography]

Dr. Wertz has earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Trine University, a M.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education.

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