1. Project Summary: Enhancing and Assessing Spatial Cognition through Computational Craftwork Principal Investigators: Michael Eisenberg and Ann (Nishioka) Eisenberg Department of Computer Science and Institute of Cognitive Science University of Colorado, Boulder

When professional mathematicians and scientists discuss the nature and origins of their own creativity, they often mention the central role played by visual and spatial thinking. Many of these professionals allude to the importance of visual cognition in the practice of mathematics and science; or they recall early formative experiences with spatially-rich activities such as geometric construction kits. But despite the apparent importance of visual/spatial cognition in mathematics and science education, there is still relatively little research aimed at understanding, enhancing, and assessing spatial reasoning in math and science students; and there are few efforts that seek to blend novel computational media with the sorts of spatially and mathematically rich hands-on crafting activities that influenced earlier generations of scientists. We believe that progress can be made in both these areas—i.e., basic cognitive research and pedagogical development—by an effort at integration. That is, by designing playful, creative and technologically sophisticated educational materials for exercising and enhancing spatial cognition, we can use those materials as the means to explore and understand fundamental issues in spatial cognition as well.