Publications: Learning and Spatial Ability
My work is largely focused on teaching, learning, and assessment in technology and engineering education. I am particularly interested in the role of spatial ability in learning, the use of adaptive comparative judgement in educational assessment, and meta-research with the aim of improving research practices broadly within technology and engineering education research. Full texts of my publications are currently available on my ResearchGate profile. If you cannot find a full text, please email me and I will provide one.
You can use the below buttons to filter between all publications and those relating to my three primary areas of research interest.
Conceptual and theoretical framing of spatial ability
Spatial cognition in engineering education: Developing a spatial ability framework to support the translation of theory into practice
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2019). European Journal of Engineering Education, 44(1-2), 164-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2017.1327944A heuristic framework of spatial ability: A review and synthesis of spatial factor literature to support its translation into STEM education
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2018). Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), 947-972. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9432-zThe potential bifurcation of static and dynamic spatial cognitive processes
Buckley, J., & Seery, N. (2016). In J. Birchman (Ed.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 71st Mid-Year Conference (pp. 97-103). Nashua, New Hampshire: ASEE.Framing spatial cognition: Establishing a research agenda
Buckley, J., & Seery, N. (2016). In L. Sun, H. Steinhauer, & D. Lane (Eds.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 70th Mid-Year Conference (pp. 118-122). Daytona Beach, Florida: EDGD.Developing a spatial ability framework to support spatial ability research in engineering education
Seery, N., Buckley, J., & Delahunty, T. (2015). In B. Bowe (Ed.), Proceedings of 6th Research in Engineering Education Symposium (pp. 1-9). Dublin, Ireland: Dublin Institute of Technology.
Spatial ability and individual differences
Spatial working memory and neural efficiency in mental rotations: An insight from pupillometry
Buckley, J., Canty, D., White, D., Seery, N., & Campbell, M. (2018). Engineering Design Graphics Journal, 82(3), 20-32. https://www.edgj.org/index.php/EDGJ/article/view/703Visualization, inductive reasoning, and memory span as components of fluid intelligence: Implications for technology education
Buckley, J., Seery, N., Canty, D., & Gumaelius, L. (2018). International Journal of Educational Research, 90(1), 64-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.05.007Examining the components of fluid intelligence: Implications for STEM education
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2018). In S. Sorby, & M. Sadowski (Eds.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 72nd Mid-Year Conference. Montego Bay, Jamaica: ASEE.Spatial working memory in mental rotations: A case for exploring neural efficiency and cognitive strategies
Buckley, J., Canty, D., & Seery, N. (2018). In S. Sorby, & M. Sadowski (Eds.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 72nd Mid-Year Conference. Montego Bay, Jamaica: ASEE.An exploratory analysis into the relationships between spatial factors, domain-free general capacities and general fluid intelligence
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2017). In M. de Vries, L. Litowitz, & S. Warner (Eds.), PATT2017: Technology & Engineering Education – Fostering the Creativity of Youth Around The Globe. Philadelphia, USA: Millersville University of Pennsylvania.Spatial ability in education: A national study
Seery, N., Buckley, J., Bowe, B., & Carthy, D. (2016). In P. Tiernan (Ed.), Proceedings of the 33rd International Manufacturing Conference. Limerick, Ireland: University of Limerick.Visualizing success: Investigating the relationship between ability and self-efficacy in the domain of visual processing
Power, J., Buckley, J., & Seery, N. (2016). In L. Sun, H. Steinhauer, & D. Lane (Eds.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 70th Mid-Year Conference (pp. 73-79). Daytona Beach, Florida: EDGD.
Spatial ability in learning and problem solving
Editorial: Spatial ability in STEM learning
Duffy, G., Buckley, J., & Sorby, S. (2025). Frontiers in Education, 10(1602013), 1-2. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1602013Spatial ability predicts short-term retention of declarative technical information in authentic engineering educational settings: An original study with two conceptual replications
Hyland, T., Seery, N., & Buckley, J. (2024). European Journal of Engineering Education, 49(6), 1310-1332. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2024.2405860The causal relationship between spatial ability and performance in technological education: A methodological approach
Hyland, T., Seery, N., & Buckley, J. (2024). The 41st International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2024. Nanjing, China: Nanjing Normal University.Examining the relationship between spatial ability and cognitive load during complex problem solving
Reid, C., Buckley, J., Dunbar, R., & Seery, N. (2022). PATT2022: PATT on the Edge: Technology, Innovation, and Education. Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada: Memorial University.Investigating the effect of engineering student’s spatial ability and expertise on general complex problem solving
Reid, C., Buckley, J., & Dunbar, R. (2021). Techne Series: Research in Sloyd Education and Craft Sciences, 28(2), 72-81. https://journals.oslomet.no/index.php/techneA/article/view/4283Investigating the effect of engineering student’s spatial ability and expertise on general complex problem solving
Reid, C., Buckley, J., & Dunbar, R. (2021). PATT2021: Technology in Our Hands. Creative Pedagogy and Ambitious Teacher Education. Rauma, Finland: University of Turku.Investigating the use of spatial reasoning strategies in geometric problem solving
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2019). International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 29(2), 341-362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-018-9446-3The predictive capacity of spatial ability for knowledge retention in third level technology and engineering education
Hyland, T., Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Gordon, S. (2019). In S. Pule (Ed.), PATT2019: Developing a Knowledge Economy through Technology and Engineering Education. Msida, Malta: University of Malta.Developing a methodological approach to measure cognitive load during complex problem solving: Working to understand the role of spatial ability in problem solving
Reid, C., Dunbar, R., & Buckley, J. (2019). In S. Pule (Ed.), PATT2019: Developing a Knowledge Economy through Technology and Engineering Education. Msida, Malta: University of Malta.Investigating the relationships between spatial ability, interest, and task experience on knowledge retention in engineering education
Hyland, T., Buckley, J., Seery, N., Power, J., & Gordon, S. (2018). In N. Seery, J. Buckley, D. Canty, & J. Phelan (Eds.), PATT2018: Research and Practice in Technology Education: Perspectives on Human Capacity and Development. Westmeath, Ireland: Athlone Institute of Technology.An exploratory study into the cognitive and behavioural influences on problem solving performance
Buckley, J., Howley, U., & Seery, N. (2016). In P. Tiernan (Ed.), Proceedings of the 33rd International Manufacturing Conference. Limerick, Ireland: University of Limerick.An investigation into problem solving approaches adopted during graphical reasoning episodes
Buckley, J., & Seery, N. (2016). In M. de Vries, A. Bekker-Holtland, & G. van Dijk (Eds.), Proceedings of PATT2016: Technology Education for 21st Century Skills (pp. 118-128). Utrecht, Netherlands: PATT.
Spatial ability in the curriculum and educational development
The potential for spatial ability development through the Swedish Technology and Craft compulsory curricula
Lin, T.-J., Buckley, J., Gumaelius, L., & Ampadu, E. (2025). International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 35(4), 1409–1427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-024-09958-7Locating the potential development of spatial ability in the Swedish national curriculum
Lin, T.-J., Buckley, J., Gumaelius, L., & Ampadu, E. (2024). Heliyon, e38356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38356Addressing the complexity of spatial teaching: A narrative review of barriers and enablers
Bufasi, E., Lin, T.-J., Benedicic, U., Westerhof, M., Mishra, R., Namsone, D., Dudareva, I., Sorby, S., Gumaelius, L., Klapwijk, R., Spandaw, J., Bowe, B., O’Kane, C., Duffy, G., Pagkratidou, M., & Buckley, J. (2024). Frontiers in Education, 9(1306189), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1306189Reflecting on maker education as a potential context for the development of spatial ability
Buckley, J. (2023). In R. Klapwijk, J. Gu, Q. Yang, & M. de Vries (Eds.), Maker Education Meets Technology Education: Reflections on Good Practice (pp. 198-201). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004681910_013Situating spatial ability development in the Craft and Technology curricula of Swedish compulsory education
Lin, T.-J., Buckley, J., Gumaelius, L., & Ampadu, E. (2023). The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023. Liverpool, UK: Liverpool John Moores University.The challenges of implementing a spatial ability intervention at secondary level
Maquet, L., Benedičič, U., Dunbar, R., Buckley, J., Duffy, G., & Sorby, S. (2023). The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023. Liverpool, UK: Liverpool John Moores University.Implementation and analysis of a spatial skills course for secondary level STEM education
Benedičič, U., Maquet, L., Duffy, G., Dunbar, R., Buckley, J., & Sorby, S. (2023). The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023. Liverpool, UK: Liverpool John Moores University.The importance of spatial ability within technology education
Buckley, J., Seery, N., Canty, D., & Gumaelius, L. (2022). In P. J. Williams, & B. von Mengersen (Eds.), Applications of Research in Technology Education (pp. 165-182). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7885-1_11A review of the literature to inform the efficacy of a spatial skills intervention for secondary level STEM education
Maquet, L., Dunbar, R., Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Sorby, S. (2022). PATT2022: PATT on the Edge: Technology, Innovation, and Education. Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada: Memorial University.An analysis of the Irish Junior Cycle Graphics specification to explore the treatment of spatial cognition
Whittaker, D., Dunbar, R., & Buckley, J. (2022). PATT2022: PATT on the Edge: Technology, Innovation, and Education. Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada: Memorial University.Spatial skills development for industrial training
Hyland, T., Dunbar, R., Murray, N., & Buckley, J. (2021). Report commissioned by First Polymer Training Skillnet Ireland.
Measurement and assessment of spatial ability
Does medium matter? Exploring validity in paper and digital spatial ability tests in secondary education
Maquet, L., Dunbar, R., & Buckley, J. (2024). The 41st International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2024. Nanjing, China: Nanjing Normal University.The validity and reliability of online testing for the assessment of spatial ability
Buckley, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2016). In J. Birchman (Ed.), Proceedings of the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division 71st Mid-Year Conference (pp. 11-16). Nashua, New Hampshire: ASEE.Assessing visual perception in virtual reality environments
Buckley, J., Phelan, J., Seery, N., & Canty, D. (2016). In P. Tiernan (Ed.), Proceedings of the 33rd International Manufacturing Conference. Limerick, Ireland: University of Limerick.Technology mediated assessment of dynamic spatial ability
Buckley, J., O’Neill, C., & Seery, N. (2016). In P. Tiernan (Ed.), Proceedings of the 33rd International Manufacturing Conference. Limerick, Ireland: University of Limerick.