FrontMatter -- Acknowledgments -- Preface -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- 1 Introduction -- Part I The Nature and Functions of Spatial Thinking -- 2 The Nature of Spatial Thinking -- 3 Spatial Thinking in Everyday Life, at Work, and in Science -- 4 Teaching and Learning About Spatial Thinking -- 5 Responding to the Need for Spatial Thinkers -- 6 Tools for Thought: The Concept of a Support System -- Part II Support for Spatial Thinking -- 7 High-Tech Support Systems for Spatial Thinking -- 8 An Assessment of GIS as a System for Supporting Spatial Thinking in the K-12 Context -- 9 GIS as a Support System for Spatial Thinking -- Part III Supporting Spatial Thinking in the Future -- 10 Conclusions and Recommendations -- 11 The Spatial Thinker -- References -- Appendixes -- Appendix A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff -- Appendix B Oral Presentations and Written Statements -- Appendix C Individual Differences in Spatial Thinking: The Effects of Age, Development, and Sex -- Appendix D The Role of Spatial Representations in Learning, Problem Solving, and Transfer -- Appendix E Software Descriptions and Resources -- Appendix F What is GIScience? -- Appendix G The Introduction of GIS into K-12 Education -- Appendix H Seasonal Differences: A Customized Eighth-Grade GIS Module -- Appendix I List of Acronyms -- Index.