Gender Difference Research Of Junior Middle School Student Geography Ability

Gender is one of the most important factors which influences individual cognitive level, and spatial ability has been regarded as a cognitive one which has the most significant gender differences. This research has a long history, and many scholars have studied the gender differences of spatial ability in mathematics learning. However, there is no any research about geography learning in China. This study explored junior middle school students'gender differences in spatial ability in geography learning. A total of 541 students of two grades of five middle schools in Tongliao participated in this study, which included 312 boys and 229 girls. The survey method was a questionnaire, which was designed by ourselves based upon the relative researches. SPSS for windows11.5 was adopted in the data analyse.The results indicated the following: (1) As a whole, there is significant gender difference in geography study, for boy's spatial ability is superior to girl's. (2) In three factors tests of spatial perception, spatial relation and spatial visualization, boys do better than girls in spatial visualization test, and girls do better than boys in spatial direction.(3) In processing speed, boy is faster than girl in spatial direction factor.To sum up, this dissertation gives some advices for geography teaching and learning. Firstly, it is necessary for teachers and students to establish a correct conception on gender differences. Secondly, some teaching activities should be carried out aiming at the gender differences in spatial ability of geography. Finally, teachers should take some measures to improve students'geography spatial abilities.