What do the experts think of the importance of developing Dimensional Thinking?
Root-Bernstein, Robert & Michele, Co-Authors of the book Sparks of Genius, The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the Worlds Most Creative People, wrote:
”Dimensional thinking is important in many areas of our modern world however little is done for directives or structure in Education. Many blocks have been designed to teach and promote dimensional thinking so that children could use their imagination and create many 3-Dimensional objects with the blocks. Many scientist and others cannot visualize dimensionally. This is referred to as Form Blindness.”
Henry Moore the Sculpture said when referring to Form Blindness:
“that’s why they don’t understand Sculpture and that makes it the most difficult of the Arts. Dimensional thinking can be learned and practiced through play with blocks, making models, creating sculptures in clay and other materials”.
Piet Mondrian the Artist said:
“flat images only need to be effective from one viewing point”. In 3-D design objects are viewed from all angles which gives the audience a universal viewpoint.
Margaret Geller (Harvard Physicist) said:
She believes Form Blindness is just as common among Scientists, they are mislead by 2-D photos and views from Telescopes. Geller was able to visualize in 3-D which helped her in understanding the Universe.
Bruner, J., Olver, R., Greenfield, P., Authors of Studies in Cognitive Growth: A Collaboration at the Center for Cognitive Studies, wrote:
The history of education was affected by the industrial age. There became more of a separation between the knowledge of adults and children. Schools became more concerned with teaching children as much as they could with the time they had. Rote learning of data became prevalent and learning by doing was used less and less.
Now with technology even less importance is put on constructive learning and keeping old societal practices like crafts have had less importance. We want to be like the Jetsons and just push a button and get whatever we want. That might not be far off but we need the engineers and inventors to make this type of future fantasy possible.
Kindler, Anna M., Author of Child Development in Art, wrote:
Research in sculptural abilities found that by age 5 children are able to understand creating a 3-dimensional human figure. With further practice they are able to add more details and refine their skills. This degree of skill seems to relate to time spent practicing or using the materials more than the age of the learner. Play is an important part of learning to use a Sculptural material like clay.
Jensen, Eric, Author of Arts with the Brain in Mind, wrote:
Having a strong spatial sense is needed for higher level thinking in subjects like math. We also use our spatial sense in engineering, sports, art and driving a car so even survival skills include spatial abilities. The important role of sculpture and industrial arts on brain development is examined by the Author and he feels that learning to use spatial senses is important by age 6 and should not be considered trivial. Playing with clay and using their hands to shape a 3-dimensional object is important in gaining this skill and developing this part of their brain.
Evangelou, Demetra, Author of Guest Editorial: Child Development Perspectives in Engineering Education, Why STEM Now? Engineering and Civilization, wrote:
“While the question of the nature of early engineering curricula is an empirical one, our understanding of some of the principles involved is sufficiently developed to permit the following recommendations. These suggestions are derived from a learner-centered constructivist perspective, assuming that learning in school results from the learner’s self-initiated, adult-supported inquiry in a carefully planned and appropriately designed environment with structural and process characteristics that promote inquiry.”
These are the key learning principles this recommendation is based on: “Early engineering curricula should capitalize on children’s naturally occurring curiosity and agency for self-initiated learning. The curriculum should encourage exploration, inquiry, and design within the developmentally and culturally appropriate boundaries of the learner”.
Liu, Eric & Noppe-Brandon, Scott. Authors of Imagination First, wrote:
Wilhelm Froebel started the first kindergarten in 1840 by giving children what they called gifts. They were blocks, rings, parquetry tiles, strings, cylinders, balls, sticks, cubes and clay and were thought to unlock the imagination through play. They brought the young students “from solid to plane, to line to point, and then reversed to arrive back in three dimensions”. (Norman Brosterman writes in “Inventing Kindergarten”)
Switzky, H. N., Haywood, H. C., Isett, R., Authors of Exploration, Curiosity, and Play in Young Children: Effects of Stimulus Complexity, wrote:
Studies done on children playing with 3-D blocks. Found that play and exploration is important to learning. The objects need to be age appropriate, but challenging to keep their interest. They found the 6-7 year olds spent more time playing with the blocks. The 6-7 year olds had more prior knowledge of what to do with the blocks. Larger, simpler blocks should be introduced at a younger age.
Resources:
Brosterman, Norman, (1997) “Inventing Kindergarten” by Norman Brosterman., New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Bruner, J., Olver, R., Greenfield, P., (1996), Studies in Cognitive Growth: A Collaboration at the Center for Cognitive Studies, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY
Evangelou, Demetra (2011) Guest Editorial: Child Development Perspectives in Engineering Education, Why STEM Now? Engineering and Civilization, Early Childhood Research & Practice Journal, 2011 online editorial
Jensen, Eric, (2001), Arts with the Brain in Mind, ASCD, Alexandria, VA
Kindler, Anna M., (1997), Child Development in Art, National Art Association, Reston, VA
Liu, Eric & Noppe-Brandon, Scott. (2009), Imagination First, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA
Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis, (2008) Human Learning, Fifth Edition, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Pontius, Anneliese A., (1997), No Gender Difference in Spatial Representation by Schoolchildren in Northwest Pakistan, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 28.n6 (Nov 1997): pp779(8)
Root-Bernstein, Robert & Michele, (1999) Sparks of Genius, The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the Worlds Most Creative People, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY
Samples, Bob, & McClaren, Milten, (1987) “Openmind-Wholemind: Parenting and Teaching Tomorrow’s Children Today”, Jalmar Press, New York, NY
Switzky, H. N., Haywood, H. C., Isett, R., (1974), Exploration, Curiosity, and Play in Young Children: Effects of Stimulus Complexity, Developmental Psychology, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp 321-329
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