IKeWYSe - I Know What You See

Abstract

The project presents a research on perspective taking, aimed to investigate two specific themes: the age when the child leaves perceptive egocentrism, and gender differences in the management of spatial reference systems. The innovative contribution of this work is that it has addressed the issue with a not abused tool for this field: the videogame. The first product of the project was, therefore, a video game prototype, named IKeWYSE, which has been the data collecting instrument for the experimental research project. The paper presents a quick historical overview on the concepts of space, perception and action, introducing the concept of Umwelt, then addresses the issue of the representation of space in the child, from Piaget to neurosciences, describing the reference systems competing in the representation of space and the Piagetian conceptual framework, and reporting the scientific debate on the "three mountains task" and the spatial theory of empathy. Once described the conceptual framework, the text presents the research design, the path for design and development of the videogame, the methods for data collection and discusses the results obtained. Finally, the experimental process has led to observe how the cognitive processes involved in peculiar orienteering activities (map reading, route selection, spatial thinking) are processes also involved in the management of inter-subjective relationship modes, and make the orienteering a sport with great potential in terms of teaching. The final part of the text develops describing orienteering as a sport, stressing the connections with current national guidelines for the first cycle of education, and, in the light of the review of the scientific literature on cognitive processes involved in spatial navigation and management of spatial reference systems, it concludes with a proposal for the spread of orienteering as effective teaching practice in an educational context oriented to inclusion of pupils presenting Special Educational Needs. [edited by Author]