Ninth Graders’ Spatial Ability and Working Memory Capacity (WMC) in Relation to their Science and Mathematics Achievement and their Gender

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to compare high and low achievers in science and mathematics in terms of their spatial ability and Working Memory Capacity (WMC), and to compare male and female learners’ performance in both these two cognitive abilities and their science and mathematics achievements. The sample consisted of 102 ninth graders in Oman. To estimate participants’ spatial ability and their WMC, the Water Level Task (WLT) and the Digit Span Backwards Test (DSBT) were used. The results indicated that both science and mathematics high achievers significantly outperformed low achievers in terms of spatial ability and WMC. In addition, females out-performed males in WMC, while males outperformed females in spatial ability. There were no significant differences between the two genders in terms of their achievement in science and mathematics.