Boulder, Colorado
March 25, 2018
March 25, 2018
March 27, 2018
Diversity
9
10.18260/1-2--29599
https://peer.asee.org/29599
405
Tyler Ashby is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering at Utah State University and is expected to graduate in May 2019. He has worked as a Teaching Assistant for Engr 2010 (Statics) since 2016 and was involved in pyrolysis research, which sought to utilize oil obtained through pyrolysis as an alternative fuel source, for a year. Tyler is currently involved in Engineering Education Research focusing on spatial ability with Dr. Goodridge at Utah State University. He focuses work in this area towards the adaptation of spatial ability assessment instruments for accessible use with blind and visually impaired populations. Additionally, he is focused on developing engineering educational teaching experiences that aim to deliver engineering content to this population as well as refining existing engineering curriculum to reflect a focus on spatial connections.
Wade Goodridge is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University. He holds dual B.S. degrees in Industrial Technology Education and Civil and Environmental Engineering. His M.S. and Ph.D. are in Civil Engineering. Wade has over 15 years of teaching experience primarily focused at the University level but also including 2+ years of teaching in high schools. Dr. Goodridge’s current research interests include spatial thinking, creativity, effective pedagogy/andragogy in engineering education and professional development for 9-12 grade science faculty designated to teach engineering. His research revolves around developing and validating curricular methods to improve engineering education in informal, traditional, distance, and professional environments. Dr. Goodridge currently teaches courses in “Teaching, Learning, and Assessment in Engineering Education” and “Engineering Mechanics: Statics.” Dr. Goodridge is an engineering councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and serves on ASEE’s project board. Dr. Goodridge actively consults for projects including the development of an online curriculum style guide for Siemens software instruction, development of engineering activities for blind and visually impaired youth, and the implementation and investigation of a framework of engineering content to incorporate into P-12 engineering education.
Sarah Lopez is a graduate student at Utah State University, pursuing a PhD in Engineering Education and a Masters in Electrical Engineering. She graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 2016 with degrees in Computer Engineering and Math Education. Her research interests include spatial ability, robotics education, and the signal processing of biometric data, such as EEG, in engineering education research.
Ms. Shaheen is the project director for the National Federation of the Blind’s Spatial Ability in Blind Engineering Research project and a doctoral candidate in the department of education technology and literacy at Towson University.
Benjamin Call graduated with his Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace Emphasis) in 2006 from Utah State University. After eight years with NAVAIR, he has returned to pursue a PhD in Engineering Education. He is funded by the Presidential Doctoral Research Fellowship. His research interests range from sophomore-level engineering curricula to spatial ability and creativity to student entrepreneurship.
This work seeks to illustrate the process of the research team in adapting an existing, valid, and reliable spatial ability instrument – the widely accepted Mental Cutting Test (MCT) – to assess spatial ability among a blind or visually-impaired population. To adapt the instrument, the team is developing 3-D models of existing MCT questions such that the target population may take the test by feeling the models with their hands. Each model is created by scaling up the MCT figures as seen when printed on paper. The 3-D models of all 25 items of the MCT are created using a solid modeling process followed by an additive 3-D printing process. The answer to each MCT question is the section view defined by a plane-of-interest (POI) intersecting the figure in question. The POI of each figure is identified by a thin plane extending from the prism. The answers will be presented as thin plane extrusions on top of a thin plate. The 3-D answer choices are based on a combination of scaling up the paper-printed test and acquiring accurate dimensions from a section view of the POI. In addition to the models, the team is developing a physical platform on which the test figures and the answers will be displayed to the test-takers in a consistent manner. To improve this adaptation of the MCT instrument, each 3-D model and the respective multiple-choice answers of the MCT test items will be inspected by a spatial cognition expert as well as three blind or visually-impaired professionals. Feedback from these individuals will provide insight into necessary revisions.
Ashby, T. J., & Goodridge, W. H., & Lopez, S. E., & Shaheen, N. L., & Call, B. J. (2018, March), Adaptation of the Mental Cutting Test for the Blind and Low Vision Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Boulder, Colorado. 10.18260/1-2--29599
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