Do geology field courses improve penetrative thinking?

Geoscientists use spatial thinking skills in many common tasks, such as adding a third dimension to two-dimensional maps by drawing cross-sections or envisioning rock fabrics from a single hand sample or exposure. Field courses allow students to practice and develop those skills in authentic settings. This study examines the development of spatial perception and geoscience-specific penetrative thinking skills, as measured by paired pre- and posttests using the water-level test and the Geologic Block Cross-Sectioning Test, in a sophomore field mapping course. Students began the course with strong spatial perception skills, but developed their penetrative thinking skills significantly (p