Abstract
Research on the acquisition of spatial knowledge not only enriches our understanding of the theory of spatial knowledge representation but also creates practical value for the application of spatial knowledge. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of different learning methods on the acquisition of spatial knowledge, including the role of 2D maps, the difference between physical interaction and virtual interaction, and whether passive learning can replace active learning in virtual environments. One experiment was conducted, in which landmark knowledge and configurational knowledge were measured. Results indicate that 2D maps play a supporting role in acquiring both landmark knowledge and configurational knowledge. In addition, physical learning was associated with better spatial knowledge representation compared with virtual learning. An analysis of observational data in the third comparison found no significant difference between passive learning and active learning using virtual street view maps. However, with high-quality learning materials, passive learning can contribute to the acquisition of spatial knowledge more efficiently than active learning.
Highlights
The importance of wayfinding is obvious in everyday life
Our results show no significant difference between the two learning methods in terms of influencing participants’ acquisition of spatial knowledge, and that, even in the scene recognition and configurational representation tasks, the passive learning group’s performance was superior to the active learning group’s performance
This study compared the impact of virtual learning and field navigation learning on spatial knowledge acquisition, as well as the differences between active learning and passive learning by using virtual street maps
Summary
Wayfinding involves multiple cognitive processes, such as encoding environmental characteristics, building and maintaining spatial representations in memory, and using them (Piccardi et al, 2019). One acquires knowledge of the environmental space and stores it in his way, forms a “cognitive map” of the environment, and finds ways based on it (Downs and Stea, 1974; Golledge, 1999). Spatial knowledge includes the knowledge of the spatial relationships between objects of an environment in the individual’s wayfinding process (declarative spatial knowledge) and the knowledge about how to move in this environment (procedural spatial knowledge) (Sorrentino et al, 2019). The key to solving spatial problems lies in whether the individual can efficiently acquire spatial knowledge, that is, forming a complete spatial environmental representation as well as saving time and cognitive sources
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