Communications of Mathematical Education (한국수학교육학회지시리즈E:수학교육논문집)

Korean Society of Mathematical Education (한국수학교육학회)
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The Relationships among Mathematics Achievement, Spatial Ability, and Verbal Achievement for Engineering Freshmen and Gender Differences

공과대학 신입생들의 공간 시각화 능력, 수학 성취도와 언어 성취도 사이의 관계 및 성별 차이에 관한 연구

  • Received : 2015.06.17
  • Accepted : 2015.09.18
  • Published : 2015.09.30
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Abstract

Mathematical, verbal, and spatial abilities are known as three important indicators for the success in the STEM disciplines. In this study, Purdue Spatial Visualization Test-Rotation, College Entrance Scholastic Aptitude Test- Math and Verbal score of engineering freshmen students have been used to find the relationships among these areas. In addition, gender differences in spatial visualization, verbal achievement and mathematical achievement have been investigated, too. In this research, I found that gender difference was highest in spatial visualization ability, followed by verbal achievement and smallest in mathematical achievement. Substantial number of male students possess high level of spatial abilities, but only half of female students were at the same level where their male colleagues were. The correlation between spatial ability and mathematical ability was negligible, contrary to former researches on elementary and middle school students. But the correlation was stronger for female students than male students. The correlation between mathematical achievement and verbal achievement was negative. It reflects the fact that when one section of SAT score is low, score of other sections should be higher to get admitted to college. Gender difference in mathematics was smallest for high achieving spatial ability group. For low spatial ability group gender difference in mathematics achievement has been observed, too. To find the combined contribution of spatial and verbal abilities to mathematics achievement, students were divided into 4 ability groups. Mathematics achievement decreased in the order of (1) high spatial -low verbal group, (2) low spatial - low verbal group, (3) high spatial - high verbal group, (4) low spatial - high verbal group.

본 연구는 공간능력이 수학 성취도 및 STEM 분야의 성공에서 중요한 역할을 한다는 사실에 기초하여, 공과 대학생들의 공간능력, 수학 성취도, 그리고 언어 성취도 사이의 관계와 각 영역에서 성별 차이를 파악하는데 목적을 두었다. 그와 함께 수학 성취도에서의 성별 차이가 공간능력에서의 차이에 의해서 매개되는 지도 확인하고자 하였다. 이를 위하여 서울 소재 공과대학 신입생들에게 공간 시각화-회전(PSVT-R)검사를 실시한 후에 대학수학능력 시험의 수학 및 언어 영역과의 상관관계를 성별로 조사하였다. 연구 결과, 성별 차이는 공간 시각화 능력에서 가장 크게 나타났고, 다음이 언어 성취도, 그리고 수학 성취도의 순서로 낮아졌다. 남학생의 공간 시각화 능력이 여학생보다 0.8d(effect size) 정도 우수하였으며 남학생의 67%가 도달한 수준에 여학생은 34%가 속해있었다. 영역별 상관계수를 살펴보면 수학과 언어 성취도 사이에는 음의 상관관계가 존재하였다, 그러나 예측과는 다르게 수학 성취도와 공간 시각화 능력 사이의 상관관계는 작았다. 공간 시각화 능력과 언어 성취도 사이에도 상관관계는 존재하지 않았다. 그렇지만 공간 시각화 능력은 남학생보다는 여학생의 수학 성취도에 좀 더 강한 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다. 그 이유는 남학생에서는 공간능력이 보편적인 현상이기 때문에 남학생 내에서는 공간능력이 수학 성취도에 별다른 영향을 미치지 않았던 것으로 파악된다. 그 외에도 공간능력이 낮은 집단에서도 수학 성취도에서는 성별차이가 나타나는 것을 확인하였다. 이것은 현 연구 집단에서는 공간능력이 수학 성취도를 결정하는 주된 요인은 아니라는 점을 보여준다. 언어 성취도가 수학 성취도와 음의 상관관계를 갖는 이유는 입시전형에 합격하기 위해서는 한 영역에서 낮은 점수를 받은 경우에 다른 영역의 점수는 상위권인 학생들이 지원한 결과로 해석된다. 마지막으로 공간 시각화와 언어 능력이 결합하여 수학 성취도에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 언어 성취도와 공간 시각화 점수를 상위권과 하위권으로 구분한 다음 네 그룹으로 나누어서 수학 성취도를 비교하였다. 이 때 수학 성취도는 남학생, 여학생 모두에서 (1) 공간 상위권- 언어 하위권인 그룹, (2) 공간 하위권 - 언어 하위권인 그룹, (3) 공간 상위권 - 언어 상위권 그룹, (4) 공간 하위권 - 언어 상위권 그룹의 순서로 낮아졌다.

Keywords

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