Research paper on the SPACE study and the role of LEGO® in improving maths and spatial ability in the classroom
Professor Emily Farran has written a research paper on the Spatial Cognition to Enhance Mathematical Learning (SPACE) project, a teacher-led quasi-experimental study investigating the causal role of block construction on children's spatial thinking and mathematics achievement.
Whilst strong evidence exists that spatial thinking and mathematics achievement are associated, the majority of this research has been lab-based, limiting the ability to translate the findings into the classroom - where they are imminently needed. In this paper, Professor Farran presents a quasi-experimental study conducted within the classroom, with spatial training delivered by the teachers during the students' mathematics lessons.
This 6-week whole-class spatial study involved professional development for practitioners coupled with teacher-led LEGO® block construction training for 6- to 7-year-olds. Teachers received a suite of resources including videos and prompts for using spatial language in the classroom. This enabled them to encourage the children to engage with spatial thinking during the SPACE sessions, which involved building up to six LEGO® models using pictorial instructions.
The research team found that the SPACE programme was effective, with the children's spatial ability and mathematics improving significantly, relative to a control group. Even more encouragingly, teachers reported benefits for inclusion, with otherwise "left behind" groups revealing "an aptitude that they had not previously been able to express" (see the Education Endowment Foundation evaluation report of the pilot study for more details).
These findings demonstrate that classroom opportunities to engage in structured block building are an effective activity for mathematics improvement, and that all children can be taught to think and work spatially.
This paper has been featured as a press release elsewhere on the University of Surrey website: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/lego-improves-maths-and-spatial-ability-classroom.
Professor Farran also wrote an article for the Times Educational Supplement, summarising the main findings and providing examples of how teachers can enhance their students' spatial reasoning, which can be read here: https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/primary/how-to-teach-spa…
