Technological solutions to foster preschool children’s spatial ability: A situational interactive e-book approach

Spatial ability is a significant component of mathematical ability and a foundation for children to master mathematical knowledge. Although many studies have confirmed that technology can enhance children’s learning, few have explored the use of technology in the area of children’s spatial learning. In this study, we adopted a paradigm for experimental research. With 106 children in four classes in two kindergartens in Eastern China (52 in the experimental group and 54 in the control group), an experimental intervention on the spatial learning of children in the experimental group was carried out using situated interactive e-books as the media, while those in the control group learned independently in the traditional way (children manipulated physical materials independently, such as puzzles). Using the methods of measuring and lag sequential analysis, it was investigated whether this intervention could improve the spatial ability of children as well as influence their learning behavior and approach to learning. The results show that children’s spatial ability was significantly improved by the proposed approach; those who used situated interactive e-books as a medium to learn showed significantly better approaches and learning behaviors than their counterparts in the control group.