Advisers

Dr. Mariju F. Galicha

Discipline

Natural Science And Mathematics, Curriculum, And Instruction

Abstract

As research on early childhood spatial development advances, woodworking activities have emerged as a promising multimodal learning medium for enhancing spatial cognition. However, their differentiated effects on specific spatial ability dimensions remain underexplored. This study addresses that gap by examining how woodworking activities influence four dimensions of spatial ability among children aged 5–6. A quantitative design was employed using a stratified questionnaire survey to examine the effects of woodworking activity frequency, task complexity, teacher support strategies, gender, and family background variables on children’s spatial ability development. The findings revealed that: (1) High-frequency woodworking activities significantly enhanced external static spatial ability and tool operation skills, while improvements in dynamic spatial abilities depended on task complexity and the level of teacher guidance; (2) Teacher support strategies positively moderated all four spatial dimensions; (3) No significant gender differences were found across the dimensions, challenging the traditional “male spatial advantage” hypothesis; (4) Family economic resources and educational investment significantly moderated the development of internal static and external dynamic spatial abilities. Based on these findings, the study proposes a “tool–cognition–teaching” triadic interactive development model and introduces a gender-neutral spatial ability certification framework. These contributions provide an evidence-based foundation for educational equity policies and support the transition of early childhood spatial education from experience-driven practices to a more scientific and structured paradigm.

Keywords

wood workshop activities, spatial ability, early childhood education, spatial cognition, gender-neutral development