Spatial Representations and Imagery in Learning

Spatial representations, when used well, support learning in reading, mathematics, and science. They also enable mental simulations and visualizations that prompt innovation and scientific discovery. Spatial representations, both external drawings and internal images, exploit people's sophisticated perceptual-motor system. The embodiment of thought in perceptual processes has promising implications for learning. In this chapter, we emphasize spatial representations that people construct and transform in their mind's eye. The process of working with these mental spatial representations is called, " imagery. " Spatial representation is different from other forms of cognitive representation studied by learning scientists—linguistic, conceptual, logical—because spatial representations partake of perceptual processes and experiences. Neurological evidence, for example, indicates that perceptual regions of the brain activate when people imagine movement (Kosslyn, 1994). Yet, spatial representations are not mere echoes of perception. They can integrate non-perceptual knowledge that allows people to imagine things they have not seen. Spatial representations have four key properties that determine their unique value for education. We begin with a brief review early psychological research on spatial memory, and then describe the four key properties. We show how