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Additional benefits of spatial-visualization skills workshops: assessing improvements in student self-efficacy and other affective skills.

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Conference

2019 Fall Mid Atlantic States Conference

Location

New York, New York

Publication Date

November 1, 2019

Start Date

November 1, 2019

End Date

November 30, 2019

Page Count

2

DOI

10.18260/1-2--33800

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/33800

Download Count

336

Paper Authors

biography

Alexander John De Rosa Stevens Institute of Technology (School of Engineering and Science)

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Alexander De Rosa is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. Alex specializes in teaching in the thermal-fluid sciences and has a background in experimental combustion. He gained his PhD in 2015 from The Pennsylvania State University in this area.

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biography

Maxine Fontaine Stevens Institute of Technology (School of Engineering and Science)

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Maxine Fontaine is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. She received her Ph.D. in 2010 from Aalborg University in Aalborg, Denmark. Maxine has a background in the biomechanics of human movement, and she currently teaches several undergraduate courses in engineering mechanics. Her research interests are focused on improving engineering pedagogy and increasing diversity in engineering.

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Abstract

Spatial visualization skills (SVS) have been shown to be critical to success in STEM fields. Students with strong SVS are retained at a higher rate than students with lower levels of SVS and are typically more successful in their classes. SVS can be learned and workshops have been proven to be effective in improving the spatial ability of students. Workshop implementations at [our university] via a graphics course have demonstrated similar results in improvements in spatial skills. It would seem likely that there are other benefits of the workshop outside of spatial skills such as helping to create a sense of community among the students and developing their affective skills. This study describes a preliminary study into the effects of the workshop on these affective skills, in particular student self-efficacy. Skills are assessed using the “Self-Efficacy Formative Questionnaire” developed in 2015 by Research Collaboration and preliminary results are detailed.

De Rosa, A. J., & Fontaine, M. (2019, November), Additional benefits of spatial-visualization skills workshops: assessing improvements in student self-efficacy and other affective skills. Paper presented at 2019 Fall Mid Atlantic States Conference, New York, New York. 10.18260/1-2--33800

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