| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 地理環境資源學研究所 === 101 === The concept of space is one of earliest development in children’s physical knowledge, which is also the basic of the high-level scientific concept. Children can show their understanding of space at very young age; furthermore, they can grow into spatial cognition. Spatial cognition plays an important role in every aspect of everyday life. As a child’s journey to school is identified as the main travel of his/her daily life, it is also an opportunity to explore the surrounding environment. However, in recent years, the proportion of escort to school with motorized transportation modes has increased. It may influence children’s spatial cognition through less and less exploring and experiencing the surrounding environments.
This study examines the relationship between children’s modes of school travel and the development of their spatial cognition. The sample data were collected in an elementary school in Taoyuan, Taiwan, using interviews, questionnaires, and cognitive maps. The sample was made of 521 children from the first grade to sixth grade and analyzed by linear, Poisson, and binary logit regressions in order to clarify the relationship between children’s modes of school travel and the development of their spatial cognition.
This study distinguishes spatial cognition into spatial knowledge, spatial ability, and the representation of space. The results show that modes of school travel do not have effects on spatial knowledge and spatial ability, but do have effects on the representation of space concerning routes. Also, independent modes and active modes are positively correlated with the representation of space. Instead, passive modes are negatively correlated with the representation of space. Therefore, in order to develop spatial cognition, this study encourages children to use independent modes and active modes more to school, including independent walking, and biking.
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