Spatial Skills in the Context of K-12 Engineering and Design-Based STEM Practices: A Systematic Literature Review

In supporting K-12 students’ cognitive development and twenty-first century skills, there has been a growing focus on promoting engineering design-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. A key relevant skill for success in design-based STEM is spatial skills. Previous research suggested studying how spatial skills and their different types play a role in the context of design-based STEM practices. Such investigations can in turn improve performance in design processes and outcomes. This literature review investigated the associations of spatial skills with engineering and design-based STEM practices and student outcomes in K-12 STEM education. In total, 18 articles were identified using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Among the included articles were 15 quantitative or mixed-methods studies and three qualitative studies. The results showed links between the practices predominantly with spatial visualization, mental rotation and mental folding (intrinsic-dynamic), followed by disembedding (intrinsic-static), perspective-taking (extrinsic-dynamic) and with spatial relations (extrinsic-static) skills. Furthermore, the findings revealed factors that play a role in supporting spatial skills and learning outcomes. K-12 STEM education can focus on the identified spatial skills (mental rotation/folding, disembedding, perspective-taking, and spatial relations) and on the instructional factors and support spatial skills development and STEM learning.